An unlikely Match
by draconicBastard
Summary: Conner returns from College to work at Wolfram and Hart just as Buffy and Dawn begin to stay there for the coming apocalypse. But can Conner land the job and how long can Buffy stand to be around Angel?
1. One

Conner wandered around the building, wondering how big it really was. He knew Angel's people liked spells, so it probably went on forever on the inside, like Mary Poppin's magic bag.

The interviews were scheduled for five o'clock, and it was four forty five. He wondered if he could get there on time. Angel would get a kick out of this, he knew. He might be mad at first, his only son joining an evil law firm. But Angel was running it and he was trying to do good things, so he would get over it. Maybe.

Dawn followed her sister into the huge LA law firm, Wolfram and Hart. She'd never been inside, neither had Buffy. They were there to discuss an apocalypse with Angel's people. Andrew had volunteered to come instead, but Dawn wanted to come with her sister for backup. It had been a long time since either of them had seen Angel and Dawn didn't want Buffy to be alone in this.

They walked into the building and gasped, there were demons everywhere. Just walking around like normal. There were humans too, but Dawn doubted they were normal at all. Evil law firm and all.

"Hi!" came a warm welcoming voice beside Dawn. She looked over to see a tall dark haired boy her age wearing a suit. "I'm Conner, welcome to Wolfram and Hart," he said.

"Oh, you work here?" Dawn asked stupidly. She wanted to smack herself on the forehead, of course he worked here, why else would he welcome people.

"Actually no," He said with a laugh, "Not yet anyway. Was I convincing?" Conner asked.

"Uh, sure," Dawn said nervously. This boy was cute but weird. "So, are you human?"

"Wow, how straightforward," he said surprised, "I don't know," Conner looked down at himself, "I think I am." He shrugged. "Are you?"

"Yeah...I think," She said. Does a mystical energy transformed into a human body count? She giggled nervously. Conner smiled.

"Ok, so Conner was it?" Buffy stated, "We're here to see Angel." Poor Buffy, she probably just wanted to get this over with. Dawn could see her hand twitched where her stake was, all the demons were making her nervous.

"Of course," Conner said, reminding Dawn of a waiter. "I am too actually."

"Oh," Buffy replied.

"How about we all go see him together," Conner suggested.

"Oh, do you know where his office is?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah," Conner said in a buff way.

"Then take us there," Buffy demanded in her tough, no-nonsense voice. She really wanted to get this over with Dawn thought.

Conner led Dawn and Buffy through the maze of the building and up to a new lobby where a blonde sat at a big desk. Conner looked at his watch. "Actually, I'll see you guys later, I have an interview." He smiled warmly before leaving them in the hands of the blonde woman.

"Harmony?" Buffy said, disbelieving.

"Huh," Harmony replied and looked up. She looked like she was going to fall over with fright. "Oh, hi Buffy," she said nervously, "Uh, just for the record I'm not evil anymore." She raised two thumbs up.

"In an evil corporation?" Buffy asked.

"Good point..." Harmony mumbled. She reached over an pushed a button. "Hey boss, your five o'clock is here."

'Send them in then,' Angels voice said over the phone. Harmony smiled nervously and pointed at the doubles doors to the left. Buffy nodded and strode toward the doors. She opened one and Dawn opened the other.

They walked straight to the right and into Angel's office. Wesley was there talking to Angel who sat behind his giant desk. Both of them stopped and watched Buffy and Dawn crossing the room to them.

"Morning boys," Buffy said suavely. She held her briefcase in front of her like a lawyer would.

"Morning," They both said slowly.

"Uh...Buffy...I didn't know you were coming," Angel said carefully.

"Yeah well, you know. Apocalypse, kinda my thing. Besides, everyone else was busy and I haven't got to see your new building, it's shiny," Buffy said, looking around at all the weapons and windows.

"Is that all you really have to say?" Angel asked.

"Angel...I thought we decided we'd stay out of each others lives. I'm not going to say you can't run a giant evil business, except if you start doing evil...I will be here to make it stop," Buffy said strongly. There was a moment of silence after as Buffy's words sank in.

"Yes, well, warm welcome threats over with. Why don't we talk business," Wesley suggested. Even with his slightly unshaven face and rough look he still had his English accent, like Giles.

"Sure," Buffy said with her big fake smile. Dawn knew she hated this.

Conner walked into his interview right on time and was surprised when he saw who was doing the interview. "Spike, what are you doing here?" Conner asked.

Spike stopped leaning on the desk to stand in front of Conner. "What? I can't ask people questions?" He asked.

"Well, I'm saying that, it's just...it's not your thing," Conner said. He hadn't known Spike very long. After he got his memories back, he'd started hanging around the building more, without Angel's knowledge of course. And Spike respected that, so they had at least some sort of connection.

"Well, no. But no one wants to work here, so you don't really need an interview," Spike explained.

"Oh," Conner said, surprised, "So I got the job?" Spike grinned at him.

"I didn't say that," Spike said, "I can still decide if you got the job."

"Oh," Conner said. He wondered what that meant. Spike might deny him out of spite, or hire him to spite Angel. Conner hoped for the latter. "So what do I have to do?" Conner asked. Immediately he wished he hadn't asked because it made Spike give an especially evil look.

"Depends," Spike said, sizing up Conner, "what kinda job you here for?"

"You mean you don't even know?" Conner said.

"Of course I know," Spike said, obviously lying. "Just seeing if you know."

Conner decided not to tell Spike, it probably didn't matter.

"So...what do I have to do to get this job?" Conner asked. Spike smiled and looked off into the distance.

"I have a pretty good idea," Spike said. Conner got a sickening feeling in his gut, he wasn't going to like this.


	2. Two

Conner watched as Harmony misled another client. He wondered if she was doing that on purpose or if she was just dumb, but he disregarded that thought. If he wanted that job he would have to be in Harmony's good grace.

He remembered Spike's advice on how to handle Harmony. Conner'd never met her before, but he knew she'd be hard to deal with.

He saw that she was finally alone having sent away Angel's clients, as Angel was with Buffy and Dawn right now. Conner just hoped they wouldn't finish and see him doing this. They would think so low of him.

He stopped just short of Harmony's desk and folded his arms on it, leaning hard. He had on Spike's jacket for looks. Harmony glanced over and smiled. "Hi, um," Conner looked around for her nameplate, he knew her name but Spike told him to act suave and uncaring. "Harmony..." Conner finished, finally spotting her name in gold.

"Hi," She said, she was dead but Conner could swear he saw a blush. "Angel's in a meeting right now so-"

"I'm not here for Angel..." Conner said with a glance at Angel's double doors.

"Oh, then?" Harmony looked at him, obviously confused.

"You look like you could use a drink," Conner commented. Lame, and usually only useable at bars, but Conner hoped Harmony was as dumb as she looked.

"God, yes!" Harmony said loudly. She seemed to realize where she was and looked down. "But I'm working," Harmony said.

"Oh come on. Evil business, evil building, you're a vampire...ditching for an hour...not that bad compared to what the other secretaries must do around here," Conner said, tempting her.

"Assistant," Harmony corrected him. He grinned; she was stupid. "And don't even get me started. One of those secretaries got so jealous she tried to frame me! But I got her in the end." Harmony began making stabbing motions with her hand.

"Of course you did," Conner said. "Now, about those drinks," He reminded her.

"Well," Harmony said and looked down at something on her desk, "Angel wouldn't like it, and I already tried to kill him once or twice, so I don't think he'd just fire me."

"Look, Harm," Conner said, "I know Angel, and I can talk him out of doing anything to you, okay?" Conner made a promise to stake Spike later for this.

"Well," Harmony stalled, looked at the double doors, "I don't know."

"Do I have to mention the drinks are on me?" Conner said, seductively.

Harmony's eyes practically lit up. "Well, I guess I can take an early break. Conner got up and walked Harmony away from her desk.

"That's the spirit," He told her. Conner looked around and spotted Spike hiding behind a pillar watching Conner lead Harmony away. Conner hoped Spike found what he wanted because Harmony was grabbing his arm way too tight for comfort. "I know the perfect place," Conner told her. She looked excited.

"This jacket seems familiar," Harmony said, she sniffed the sleeve.

"Uhm, I found it once," Conner said, trying to make something up quickly. "Yeah, uh, after I staked a vamp. He had the weirdest hair too. He was pretty easy to fight."

"Was his name Spike?" Harmony asked, looked up innocently.

"You know, I think it was," Conner said, looking up and scrunching his brow, trying to look like her was trying to remember.

"Good," She said simply. Conner guessed she didn't like him. She'd have a surprise when she saw him in the building someday, or maybe Spike hated her so much he'd avoid her. Oh well. Either was Conner didn't care; he just wanted to get her off his arm before it had to be amputated.

...  
Dawn tried to concentrate on her summer homework she'd brought, but Conner's image kept coming up in her mind. "Buffy?" She called out.

"Yeah," Buffy said from the other room.

"What do you do...when you can't get someone off your mind?" Dawn asked. She looked at the doorway where her sister was unpacking in the next room.

"Like who?" She asked.

Dawn thought about not telling her who she meant but decided against it. "That boy we saw this morning...Conner," Dawn told her. Dawn thought she heard Buffy laugh.

"He was cute wasn't he?" Buffy said. She came and stood in the doorway. She looked ready to slay something even though she was wearing a bathrobe. "He kinda looked like Angel..." Buffy said strangely.

Dawn shrugged. "I guess," She said. She sat up on the bed she was doing homework on. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course," Buffy said.

"Really?" Dawn said skeptically. "Being around Angel doesn't bother you?"

"Well...not as much as it used to," Buffy admitted.

"Maybe it's time?" Dawn suggested. Buffy gave her a confused look. "You know. Now that you and The Immortal aren't dating...maybe you and Angel are both ready."

"Dawn," Buffy sighed.

"But you loved him, and you always have, haven't you?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, but," Buffy complained.

"But what?" Dawn asked. Buffy came and sat on the bed by Dawn.

"It's not that simple..." Buffy explained.

"So? Nothing ever is, Buffy," Dawn said, "If you loved him, can't you be with him again?"

"I don't know, Dawn, I don't think so. I loved Riley too, but I can't be with him either," Buffy said. Buffy reached inside a bag on the floor and pulled out Mr. Pointy, the stake that Kendra had given her for good luck, and played with it.

"But I bet Angel still loves you," Dawn told her.

"Well...That doesn't matter..." Buffy said quietly.

"How can that not matter?" Dawn asked.

"Because...people who love me get hurt...Angel loved me and I got him killed," Buffy said.

"So, it was to save the world...besides, he came back," Dawn said, canceling her statement out.

"Spike loved me too...he got himself a soul because of me, and he died to save the world because he loved me...," Buffy said, a bit of sadness in her voice.

"But spike was evil...and you didn't even love him, not really. Angel's different," Dawn told her.

"Yeah, but still," Buffy said.

"Knock, knock," A cheery voice called through the doorway. Lorne, the green singing demon came in. "And how are you beautiful young ladies this evening?" Lorne asked. Buffy and Dawn couldn't help smiling, the green demon was wearing a bright yellow suit that matched his highlights.

"Just fine," Buffy answered.

"Well, ladies...Angel's playing the 'I'm busy, Lorne, go away,' card, so I thought I'd ask you guys what's going on, so you're staying a while?" He asked.

"Yeah," Dawn replied, "Just until the world stops being in peril."

"Oh, sweetie," Lorne said as if she'd said something ridiculous. "The world will never stop being in peril. Apocalypses are a constant for this team, it's what we do."

"Yeah, us too," Buffy said.

"Yeah, kiddo, But we nearly die all the time, Wesley got shot once and ole' Angel's been pretty banged up before and-"

"I died twice," Buffy blurted out, probably beating anything he could say.

"Oh well..." Lorne said slowly. "Glad to see you're alive now," He said positively. "You know, we have someone on our team who died once."

"Really?" Buffy said in a bored tone.

"Oh yes, and I think Spike-"

"You knew Spike?" Buffy asked, sitting up straight.

"Well yeah, I still do," Lorne said, not understanding Buffy.

"But...he's dead..." Buffy said.

Lorne smiled sweetly. "Not anymore sister," He said.

Buffy stared at Lorne with her mouth open not speaking. Her eyes were wider than normal. For a moment Dawn just stared at Lorne too, but then she looked at Buffy.

"Buffy," She whispered. Buffy just looked over at her. "Are you okay?" Dawn asked in a whisper. Buffy just blinked, then did something she'd never done before. She fell over. She'd fainted.


	3. Three

This is where I'd like to point out that this takes place five years after season five of Angel, except that most of the junk that people didn't like didn't take place. So pretty much halfway through season five applies. I don't know about Illeryia (I know it's not spelled right) though, I can't decide if she's killed Fred or not. :P Oh well. Enjoy. :)  
...

Conner listened to the highly annoying laugh of Harmony while wondering if Spike found what he wanted in harmony's desk. Harmony kept prattling on about something stupid as Conner tuned her out and watched the band behind her.

After an hour of enduring Harmony talking and throwing in clever comments that she probably didn't understand, Conner looked at his watch and mentioned the time. Harmony gasped and suggested she go back to work. Conner agreed with her and was glad when she didn't insist on giving him her number. Harmony left and Conner left to go meet Spike. He was definitely going to stake him if he turned him down for the job.

Spike was there at the spot. He didn't look like himself without the leather jacket. Conner pulled it off and threw it at him. Spike grinned at Conner's solemn expression. "So did you get it or what?" Conner asked, annoyed at Spike.

As a reply Spike raised his hand a jingled something at Conner. Car keys. "What the hell is that?" Conner asked.

"Keys to the Viper," Spike said, referring to Angel's favorite car to drive. Seeing as Spike like to annoy the hell out of Angel any way he could, stealing the Viper would be an extra annoyance. Conner just hoped his name wouldn't come up when Angel noticed it was gone.

"Couldn't you just hot wire it? You're evil, you have to know how," Conner said.

"Yeah," Spike admitted, "But didn't wanna mess with the internal wirin' and such...ruins the beauty of stealin' it." Conner didn't get how that was, but he let it slide.

"So why did Harmony have the keys?" Conner asked. Spike took his time sliding his jacket into place.

"Got this off a slayer once in New York, ya know," Spike commented. Yeah, Conner knew, everyone knew as much as Spike let everyone know. "Angel thought Harmony would hide them or something, or keep them a secret...he overestimated her. Girl can't hide anything, 'cept maybe a stake under a mattress..." Conner rolled his eyes, he didn't know what the stake and mattress thing was about, but with Harmony involved it was probably really stupid. "Anyway, easy pickin's findin' the keys."

"Fine," Conner said, giving up on the subject of Harmony, "So do I have the job or not?"

"Huh?" Spike said, forgetting the job Conner applied for. Then it clicked. "Oh, yeah. Sure."

"Good, when do I start?" Conner asked, not knowing if Spike would even tell him.

"I don't bloody know," Spike said, toying with the Viper keys, "Ask Angel if you really care, 'cause I don't." Conner sighed.

"Alright, fine," Conner said, a little peeved at Spike. "But this doesn't mean that I won't stake you someday," He warned.

Spike just laughed. "Like you could," He said in that stupid accent.

"I will someday," Conner promised.

"Yeah right," Spike said and walked off. Conner just scoffed and walked back to Wolfram and Hart to tell 'daddy' the good news.

...  
Dawn wandered down the halls. Buffy had woken up earlier and demanded ice cream. Dawn didn't know why she wanted some, but she said she'd try to find a kitchen or something. Now she wished she'd just gone to the lobby and went to the store because she was starting to think she was lost.

"I can't think like that," She told herself, if she admitted she was lost, then she would be. For the moment she thought maybe she just took a wrong turn.

She rounded and corner and nearly ran into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She said automatically.

"Oh, that's okay," He said. It was that boy again, Conner. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Neither was I, actually," Dawn admitted.

"Yeah, these halls are just too big, you know," Conner said.

"Yeah," Dawn agreed, "Hey, do you know where the main lobby is?"

Conner nodded and looked around. "Yeah, I know _where_ it is...how to get there from _here_...that's a different story," Conner said, laughing a little, "Actually, I was headed there."

"Oh really?" Dawn said, surprised that they were going to the same place.

"Yeah," Conner said, they both started walking down the hall where Conner came from, "Just spoke to the head honcho himself."

"You mean Angel?" Dawn asked innocently.

"Yeah," Conner said, grinning, "I landed my interview. I am officially a member of Wolfram and Hart." Dawn congratulated him. "Yeah...it's cool. Part of a giant evil law firm and all. Angel's not too happy about that."

"Really?" Dawn said, "Why not? How's it any of his business if you work here or not?"

"Well," Conner said slowly, "I'm not supposed to tell anyone but..." He glanced at Dawn, "Angel's my father," Conner said suavely.

"What?" Dawn said. Conner nodded. "Angel's a vampire, that's not possible."

"I know, it was miracle," Conner said. Dawn looked at him skeptically. "No really. There was this goddess, and she needed a miracle to be brought into the world. So I was born from two vampire parents."

"Really?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah...it was this whole...you know apocalypse thing, but we managed to get past it," Conner said, "Or I did anyway. Thank god for false memories."

"You have false memories too?" Dawn asked. He looked at her strangely and she looked down, blushing. "Well...I'm kinda a miracle too," She admitted.

"Really?" He asked. He watched her closely as if she might start glowing.

"Yeah...I'm this...mystical energy...thing...that can unleash doom and terror upon this and many worlds," Dawn said in a deep voice.

"Heavy," Conner said.

"You get used to it," Dawn said, shrugging it off.

"Yeah, well, you don't look like an energy...thing," Conner said in a complementing tone.

"You should see me at night, I glow," Dawn said mysteriously.

"Cool, cool," Conner said, "But you should see me, I can jump off'a stuff," Dawn laughed, "Really high up stuff," Conner said, laughing too.

"Yeah, well, I'm not supposed to exist," Dawn said, topping him.

"Neither am I," Conner said, matching her.

"Well, I was really born eight years ago," Dawn said, counting back the years. Three years of actually living in Sunnydale and five years in Rome.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," Dawn boasted. Conner crinkled his brow in thought.

"I was born eight years ago...in this world anyway," Conner said.

"What do you mean, in this world?" Dawn asked, not understanding him.

"Well, there was this whole thing with being kidnapped as a baby from Angel, then going to a hell dimension and coming back seventeen years later when this world only passed through a few months and then trying to kill Angel and then the false memories and blah blah..." Conner was looked off in thought, "I prefer to think about the false memories than the real ones."

"I bet..." Dawn said, taking in that whole of Conner's past. It was a lot to take. "I've been through stuff too, you know," She told him.

"Like what?" Conner asked, honestly curious.

"Well..." This time it was Dawn's turn to drift into thought, "My mom died shortly after I was _created_, then Buffy died, then she came back. Then a good friend died, her name was Tara. Then someone else died...I'm not sure if he was a friend or not..." Dawn mused.

"How did he die?" Conner asked, "Sorry for all of your loss by the way."

"Thanks..." Dawn said quietly, "He saved the world...he died for all of us."

"I guess he was a friend then," Conner said.

"But he was evil..." Dawn said, "He tried to kill Buffy lots of times...he...he hurt her for real...I can't forgive him for that..."

"But he saved you all, that's what you said," Conner said.

"I know but..." Dawn sighed, reminding herself of Buffy. "Let's change the subject..." Dawn suggested.

"Okay..." Conner agreed, "How long have you been in L.A.?" He asked.

"Just recently," She said smiling, "Buffy and I are staying here for a while to deal with some issues."

"Apocalypse?" Conner guessed.

"How'd you know?" Dawn asked, surprised that he already knew.

"I work here now, I know things. Well, Angel told me anyway," Conner said. He grinned. Dawn laughed.

"So," Dawn said, "Have you been here long?" She asked.

"No, I came straight from college," Conner said proudly.

"Really? What college did you go to?" Dawn asked.

"I went to Harvard, four years," Conner boasted.

"Wow. I went to Rome University, two years," Dawn said with pride, not many people can go to a school in Rome.

"Cool," Conner said smiling.

"Hey, did Angel see his bloody missing Viper yet?" a familiar British accent said from behind Dawn and Conner. Dawn was almost afraid to turn around. She noticed they were near where Buffy and Dawn's room was now.

"I don't think so," Conner said, turning around.

"Who's that?" Spike asked. Dawn turned slowly and saw Spike, looking like he did when he died. "Oh...hey niblet," He said smiling a little bit, but also looking worried. "What're you doin' here?"

"Buffy and I are here about an apocalypse," Dawn told him coldly, still hating him for what he was.

"Wait," Spike dropped the half-smile and looked almost afraid, "Buffy's here?" He asked.

Just then a door opened behind Dawn in the direction she had been walking opposite of Spike. "Dawn? are you out there?" Buffy asked. Dawn turned to look at Buffy just as she caught sight of Spike. "...Spike..." Buffy said breathless.

"Buffy..." Spike said back.

"Wait...you all know each other?" Conner asked, a little confused.

"Yeah," Dawn said.

"Oh so he's that guy you meant that died..." Conner said, connecting the pieces. "So can I still stake him?" He asked, a little disappointed.

"Yes!" Dawn said.

At the same time Buffy said, "No!" All the while Buffy and Spike both had their eyes locked on each other, unable to move.

"So...what now?" Conner asked. Dawn didn't really know. 


	4. Four

Yay. Here's some Dawn/Conner (is that Dawnner, or Cawn?) And some Spuffy. This one's a little shorter I think, but the next one will be longer. Enjoy. :)  
...

Conner surveyed the room quietly. "Well, this is awkward, then," Conner said to Dawn. She nodded. Dawn had ushered them all, even Spike, into Buffy's room. Buffy was in the other room changing and Spike was sitting on the edge of the bed looking down and minding his own business.

Poor guy, he finally gets the keys to the Viper and now the love of his life comes along. Conner almost felt sorry for him, except that he hated Spike.

Dawn had told him everything. Spike was in love with Buffy, but Buffy didn't like Spike, even though they had a thing together. Conner didn't ask what the thing was. Spike died to save the world but never told Buffy he was back from the dead. Thus, awkward moment when they meet again.

It was like a soap opera and Conner couldn't wait for it to continue. Buffy finally came back from the other room. "Dawn," She said, "Give us some room." Dawn nodded. She led Conner into the next room.

...  
Buffy watched her little sister walk away with Angel's son. She hadn't told Dawn yet, though Angel had told her already.

She looked back at Spike who was still looking down. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I...I just thought you were better off," Spike told her. Buffy sat down next to Spike.

"I was," Buffy said, finally he looked up at her with those big blue eyes she had missed. It made Buffy's heart flutter. But spike seemed confused. He looked back down.

"I should've stayed dead then, gone to Hell and all," Spike said sadly.

"Hell?" Buffy asked, "I thought...but you have a soul, you shouldn't go to Hell."

"I thought so too, pet," He said, "But turns out all the evil I did doesn't just go away when the soul kicks in, still have to go to Hell and pay for it all." He made a sick, tortured chuckle that died quickly.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't go to Hell," Buffy told him. He looked confused again and gazed at her. "I'm glad you're here with me now. It doesn't matter that you didn't come to me as soon as possible, because I wasn't ready to see you again."

"Are you now?" Spike asked.

Buffy smiled a little, "Yeah, I think so." Spike smiled too.

"So, like the kid said, what now?" Spike asked. Buffy looked around and thought about how to answer.

"Let's go patrol," Buffy suggested, needing to burn off her agitation at Angel and at staying in an evil law firm building. Spike grinned.

"Okay," Spike agreed.

...  
Conner wondered how the soap opera of Buffy and Spike was going as Dawn closed the door.

"I hoped they don't end up fighting," Dawn said, looking at the door fearfully, "They might break the building. Too bad Xander isn't here to fix stuff."

"How bad can they be?" Conner asked.

"I heard the first time they...you know...they demolished a house in the process," Dawn told him.

Conner made a low whistle. A house? Man, he wished he had that score. "That's terrible," He lied.

"And just think about a fight between them," Dawn said. Conner thought about it and cringed. Dawn put her ear to the door.

"Hear anything?" Conner asked. Dawn shushed him. Conner put his ear to the door too. No yelling. No fighting. He wished he could watch what was going on.

"Buffy can be so stupid sometimes," Dawn said pulling away from the door.

"What do you mean?" Conner asked, giving up on the door, too.

"Buffy belongs with Angel," Dawn said in an as-a-matter-of-fact way. "Not Spike."

"I don't know about that," Conner said as if she were crazy. "I don't think Angel should be with anyone."

"What?" Dawn asked. "Angel so deserves Buffy more than Spike."

"No way," Conner told her, "You don't know angel."

"I know enough," Dawn said. The door opened all of a sudden and both Conner and Dawn jumped. Buffy stood there. "Ooh, did I interrupt?" Buffy asked at their jumping as if something was going on between them.

"No!" Dawn said quickly.

"No no no no no," Conner said, backing away at least a foot from Dawn.

"O-kay," Buffy said, grinning and not believing them. "Anyway, Dawn, I'm going patrolling."

"Patrolling?" Conner echoed. Patrolling what?

"Buffy," Dawn sighed, "We're not in Italy anymore, or even Sunnydale. This is L.A."

"I know," Buffy said, "That's why Spike's coming with me. He already went to check out where the demon hot spots are."

"Fine, but don't be out too late, please," Dawn begged her sister.

"'Kay, bye," Buffy said and walked off, grabbing a duffl bag before she left.

Dawn turned to Conner. "Let me guess, son of the vampire of the night, you like to go out and kill stuff, too," Dawn said tiredly.

"Actually," Conner said, wondering where's she'd gotten that idea from, "I'm more of an indoor person, you know. Harvard and all." Dawn smiled.

"Cool, I am too," Dawn said happily.

"Awesome, I thought you would be," Conner said, he made stabbing motions and growled which made Dawn giggle. "I just can't see you doing that."

"Nope, I'm pretty normal," Dawn said, then added, "Well, as normal as a mystical energy gets." They both laughed.

"So where was it you were headed?" Conner asked, "You know before I ran into you, and then the soap opera came on and everything."

"Well, I was getting Buffy some ice cream, but apparently she doesn't need it anymore," Dawn said.

"Cool," Conner said, "I was just heading home when I ran into you."

"Literally," Dawn said laughing.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Conner apologized. They both took a deep breath to stop laughing. "Anyway, I should get going," Conner said regretfully.

"Oh, okay, don't run over anyone," Dawn said smiling and waving a finger at him. Conner laughed and promised not to.

"Actually, Dawn," He said.

"Yeah," Dawn said."

"I saw wondering if, maybe you'd like to go somewhere, like tomorrow," Conner asked. Dawn looked at him funny. "You know, like for coffee."

"Oh," Dawn said, realizing what he was asking. "Yeah, yeah, I'd love to."

"Cool," Conner said and grinned, "So, see you tomorrow, like 5:00."

"Ok," Dawn agreed.

"Ok, bye then," Conner said and left without anything left to say. He smiled all the way down the hall. Finally he was going to date someone younger than him. well, she was kind of older, in a way. Conner wondered which way counted.

(Which way counts? Review and give your opinion. Is Conner after someone older again? Or is he finally looking at younger girls? TeeHee)


	5. Five

We now return to: An Unlikely Match. On the last episode, Spike and Buffy went out patrolling and Conner asked Dawn out on a date. Please enjoy the show. :)  
(No actually Spuffy in this chapter :P Loads in the next though! :])

...

As Conner wandered Wolfram and Hart feeling proud of asking out Dawn, he ran into Lorne who was turning into the same hall Conner was. Conner would have to stop running into people like this.

"Hey there, Conner baby," Lorne said in his oh-so-cheery tone of voice.

"Hey Lorne, what's up," Conner said casually.

"What's up?! What's up?! He asks _me _what's up," Lorne said pretending to talk to someone beside him, "Only the biggest _shin-dig _since liberachi, baby."

"Shin-dig?" Conner asked, "what's going on, Lorne?"

"Oh, I should ask you that, cupcake, you're shining brighter than bob-o's bald head on a sunny day!" Lorne exclaimed.

"Am not," Conner, embarrassed.

"Oh yes you are! You can't deny it," Lorne said, reminding Conner of a diva, "So who's the girl?"

Conner almost blushed. "No one, really," he said.

"No, no, you can't get off that easy. I get a name," Lorne said pointing at Conner and taking a drink of his sea breeze.

"Well, her name is Dawn," Conner said, still smiling. Lorne started chocking on his drink.

"Dawn? Dawn Summers? Little sister of Buffy Summers?!" Lorne asked in a panicked tone.

"Yeah, I guess, why?" Conner asked, surprised by Lorne's reaction.

"Don't you know? There's about a million people in this world who would kill you for ever touching her. Including the big guy upstairs and the Slayer herself, _The _Slayer," Lorne warned.

"What, Faith?" Conner mused. Faith was the only slayer he knew of. He remembered Faith and grinned.

"No, sweetie. Like I said: _The_ Slayer. As in Buffy Summers, the girl who can turn you inside out and all around," Lorne said.

"Buffy?" Conner said, surprised.

"Uh, yuh. You, my stupid little friend, are taking out the Slayer's little sister," Lorne told him loud and clear.

Suddenly Conner was very afraid. The Slayer was stronger than him. Faith could easily take him out, and if Buffy was _The_ Slayer, Conner feared her power.

As for Angel, Conner wasn't that worried. Angel could huff and puff and say things, but Conner knew Angel would never hurt him, not really anyway. But Buffy didn't like Angel, or at least it didn't seem like it. So she must not like Conner either.

"Well, see ya, Connercakes, I have a show to do," Lorne said and turned off down the hall. "Hope no one kills you," He yelled halfway down. Conner waved and tried to focus on where he was wandering.

He remembered telling Angel he'd gotten the job before he ran into Dawn.  
...Flashback...sort of....

He walked around pillars, trying not to let Harmony spot him. He was almost to Angel's door when he was caught.

"Oh, hey Conner!" Harmony called from behind the desk. Conner was glad for the divider between them.

"Hi, Harmony," Conner almost moaned.

"I had so much fun earlier, we should do that again sometime," Harmony said excitably.

"we really should," He said, not bothering to be suave now.

"Are you here to see Angel?" She asked.

"Yes, I am," Conner said simply.

"Okay," She chirped. she pushed a button on her desk and Angel's voice came through, 'What, harmony,' he said gruffly, as though he'd been interrupted from something. "There's a cute boy her to see you, Boss," she said, almost singing. 'So?' Angel asked. "I'll just send him in, Boss," Harmony told him. 'Harmo-' Harmony cut off Angel by turning off the intercom. "Go on in," She said and waved with her fingertips.

"Bye," He said, waving back. As he walked to the double doors he composed himself and strode into Angel's office proud and confidant.

Angel was in his office alone as usual. He was reading something. "You must be the 'cute boy'," Angel said snidely.

"Yep, that'd be me," Conner said proudly. At the sound of his voice Angel looked up. At first he was surprised, then happy.

"Conner," he said warmly. He got up and crossed the room to shake Conner's hand strongly.

"Hey Angel," Conner said, smiling at him.

"So, how's college? Need money for the race tracks," Angel asked, getting excited and nostalgic.

"No," Conner said, grinning.

"Cause I have money, lots of it. We're throwing it out of windows around here. Harmony!" Angel yelled. 'Yeah, Boss,' Harmony said through the intercom. "Get Conner some money," Angel ordered. 'Right away, Boss.'

"No Dad, no. That's not why I'm here. I don't want you to give me money," Conner said smiling, "Not yet anyway."

"What do you mean, Conner?" Angel said, still grinning.

"Well, I want to earn my money," Conner told him.

"How ya gonna do that?" Angel asked with a laugh.

"By working here," Conner said. Angel frowned immediately.

"Excuse me?" Angel said.

"Well, I graduated from Harvard and now I have a job here at Wolfram and Hart," Conner explained.

"What? How? Who the hell at my firm would let you work here?" Angel asked.

"I think my interview was with someone named Spike, you know him? Long jacket, British accent, bleached hair, reminded me of Billy Idol," Conner said, enjoying watching Angel's face getting steadily angrier. He looked like he wanted to send Spike through a wall.

"I don't guess I can fire you," Angel sighed.

"Nope, not yet anyway," Conner agreed.

"I would fire Spike, but technically I don't even pay him, so that wouldn't work," Angel said, deep in thought, "Maybe I could just set him on fire."

"Dad," Conner sighed.

"Well, Conner, if you're going to work here you have to get used to evil schemes," Angel warned him, then mused, "I guess it's not really evil since it's Spike though."

"No, not really," Conner said. He moved to stand next to Angel. "But if you're gonna plot against Spike, I at least get to be in on it," Conner told him.

Angel smiled and looked at Conner. "Yeah, okay," Angel promised. Conner knew Angel still didn't like the idea of Conner working there, but Angel would get over it.  
...End of flashback thingy...

Conner walked the lonely halls of Wolfram and Hart wondering if they ever would get revenge on spike. He didn't know if he still wanted to, knowing how Spike was connected to Buffy and Dawn.

Dawn didn't seem to like Spike, so maybe she wouldn't mind. But Buffy would probably oppose to it.

'Oh, well," he thought, 'I'll get to see the Wolfram and Hart drama show tomorrow." He found his way to the exit and went to his little apartment a block away.


	6. Six

I'm a huge Spuffy fan, so here's a whole chapter chop-full of Spuffy :)

(By the way, a couple of the words Wesley says down there I just made up cuz I was too lazy to look up big words, so they don't actually mean anything :P)  
...

The demon hissed one last time before it died. Buffy thought it was the ugliest demon she'd ever seen. "Wow, you sure do know how to show a girl a good time," Buffy said dully.

Spike stepped over demon corpses to stand next to Buffy as she crouched on the ground to watch the corpses fizzing. "Oh, well, I try you know," Spike said just as dull. "But you are having fun, right?" He asked seriously.

Buffy laughed. "Yeah. As much as a Slayer _can_ have."

Spike smiled, which Buffy liked. Spike felt like an old friend who'd come back from summer vacation, only this vacation was much longer than summer. "I heard you were stayin' in Italy," Spike said.

"I was," Buffy said. Then she realized she should say more. "Um, it was nice there."

"Yeah. I been to Italy a couple times before," Spike told her, looking around like a lookout. "Long time ago, though."

Buffy knew what that meant. He meant he went there with his hoe Drusilla. "I was dating this guy there...The Immortal." Buffy saw Spike tense up. "You know him?"

"Yeah, I know 'im. Always stealin' women, that one," Spike said coldly.

"He was pretty nice," Buffy said, defending The Immortal. She stood up.

Spike scoffed. "They always say that."

"Maybe because it's true," Buffy said, getting mad now.

"Then why aren't you with him now, in Italy?" Spike asked.

Buffy didn't know how to answer. "Why do you always do that?" She asked.

"Do what?" Spike asked, turning to gaze at her.

"Make good points," Buffy said, starting to pout and cross her arms. Spike grinned at Buffy, lighting her heart on fire. "I forgot about that," She thought out loud.

"About what, pet?" Spike asked. His head cocked to the side the way it always did when he was curious. It made Buffy smile.

"The way you can make me feel," She said honestly.

"I think we're the only ones who could have a moment like this surrounded by the corpses of freshly slain demons," Spike remarked, kicking one of the corpses. Buffy smiled, but then she looked down at the demons who since turned to mush and slime and crinkled her nose at them in disgust, which made Spike laugh.

"What's so funny?" Buffy asked, ready to break his nose like she always used to.

"Nothing, just you," He said, still smiling at her. But she smirked and stared at him angrily. "You know, you used to look at _me_ that way," He mused.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Spike started walking out of the abandoned parking lot and Buffy stalked after him.

"When I was evil..." Spike said, "And a long time after, too. You gave me that disgusted look. Not that I didn't deserve everythin' I got, 'cause I did. I'm just pointin' it out."

Buffy softened up, not sure whether to be mad or relieved. She didn't know what to say. She just followed Spike. "Where are we going now?" She asked.

"I'm takin' you back to Wolfram and Hart," Spike said, not looking at her. They'd killed a lot of demons already, but they'd only just started actually talking. Buffy realized that she and Spike had never really talked that much before.

Buffy realized that she and Spike had never really talked that much before. She felt guilty about using Spike the way she did. Spike genuinely loved her and she twisted him up and hurt him.

"I'm sorry Spike," She said softly. She didn't worry about him not hearing her, vampire hearing and all.

"Why's that?" Spike asked, he sounded a little surprised.

"Because I can't love you," Buffy said.

"That's okay," Spike said calmly. That surprised her.

"But I used you," She said, voice full of guilt. She'd never used someone like that before.

"You're not the only one," Spike muttered. Buffy felt bad for Spike, nothing ever worked out for him. Any relationship he could have had with Drusilla or Harmony ended when Spike made a big show of loving Buffy. And both Spike and Buffy knew she would never love Spike back.

Buffy wondered how Spike was going with the women at Wolfram and Hart. Probably badly. "You've got worse luck with dating than I do, and I got _two_ of mine killed," Buffy said.

"I was yours?" Spike asked in surprise.

"Technically we were never dating," Buffy replied.

"'Course you would say that, Slayer," Spike grumbled, which made Buffy's heart sink. "Least I have ole' Angel's favorite car."

"Angel gave you a car?" Buffy asked in near shock.

"Technically he never gave it to me," Spike said, grinning. Buffy smiled. Of course, steal Angel's car, _real _mature.

They stopped in front of the Wolfram and Hart building. "Walk me up?" Buffy asked, "Protect me from evil lawyers?" Spike grinned and walked in with her.

Seven floors up and halfway down the hallway to her room, Buffy was overcome with a feeling she'd only had a long time ago. She looked over at Spike who looked at her the same way: Like a hungry wolf.

As if on cue, Buffy jumped onto Spike, knocking him down to the floor. They started kissing and groping each other as Buffy slid off Spike's jacket. She couldn't explain why she wanted this so suddenly, but she didn't question it as they lay in a pile of clothing in the middle of the hallway.

"Should we...?" Spike began.

"Move to the bedroom?" Buffy finished. Spike nodded. Buffy shook her head, it was a mere two inches from Spike's. "Can't wait that long," Buffy panted. Spike agreed and their bodies joined as one again.

:MEANWHILE:  
"Oh, man," Gunn groaned at the smell of the backfired spell, "that stinks!"

Lorne coughed at the smoke and waved his hand around to clear the air. "What do you think the Love and War spell did?" He asked.

"I don't know," Gunn said and looked at Wesley whose nose was in some ancient text or other.

"When done correctly, the Love and War spell is meant to even the playing field in a war. Which for us would help extremely to end the current apocalypse," Wesley explained. Gunn and Lorne said the mandatory 'uh huh's' and waited for Wesley to read more. "When defective, the occupants within a 1-mile radius become inficated and begin to commit Aranthroband."

"English?" Gunn asked.

Wesley looked up at them gravely. "Everyone within a mile radius are about to fill with sexual hormones and start having sex."

"What?" Gunn asked loudly.

"The backfired spell makes everyone horney?" Lorne asked.

"Exactly, we're the only ones unaffected by it," Wesley confirmed, shutting his book.

:MEANWHILE:  
Buffy wondered vaguely how long it had been and gave up, their love was timeless. She separated from Spike for a moment.

"This reminds me, ohhh," She panted, trying to get a sentence out, "Of when, ahhh! When me and Reily were...under that spell to make love..."

"And Willow's, uhn," Spike said, making the same effort as Buffy was, "Stupid will spell...when I proposed to you." Buffy laughed hysterically, how absurd that was. Spells did weird things to people.

"Good thing..."Spike breathed, "...this isn't a spell, then."

"Uh huh," Buffy agreed. She put a finger to Spike's lips. "No more talky," She commanded him softly. He grinned and stayed silent.

_...Gunn POV..._  
Gunn walked the halls with Wesley and Lorne. They needed to find Angel to get him to stop the spell. They turned a corner and all stopped dead at the sound of heavy breathing and moaning.

"Ech, clean up on Isle Ew," Lorne said, exaggerating. Buffy and Spike were lying mostly naked in a small pile of clothes.

"Man, carpet burn," Gunn said.

"Apparently these two have been affected," Wesley said, stating the obvious again. "They seem completely oblivious to the world."

"Maybe we would go a different way," Lorne suggested. The others agreed, but before they could leave, a door opened into the hallway.

"Buffy!" Dawn screamed at her sister who was absolutely lost in groping the British vampire.

"Dawn, it's useless," Wesley told her, "It's a spell and nothing short of breaking the spell can make her stop."

_...back to Buffy POV..._  
"Dawn?" Buffy whispered drowsily. She eased Spike up by a foot off of her.

"Dawn?" Spike asked Buffy. Buffy looked over at Dawn, she wanted to get up and protect Dawn from whatever had hurt her. Spike grunted as Buffy threw him through the nearby wall.

_Dawn POV..._  
"Buffy!" Dawn said, almost screaming again.

"Dawn, are you okay?" Buffy asked, looking up at her determinedly, yet innocently, as if she hadn't just fornicated outside their room.

Buffy also just sent Spike through their bedroom wall, which Dawn didn't mind so much, but poor wall! Speaking of, Spike walked back through the giant hole in the wall. He still had his pants on, thank the goddesses. But he was shirtless and all those muscles, no matter how white, still made Dawn blush.

"Bloody hell," Spike groaned, "Reminds me of old times." Spike rubbed the back of his head as Buffy glanced at him apologetically.

"Well damn, how did you guys stop...you know, doin' it?" Gunn asked.

"I don't know," Buffy said, gathering her clothes, "I heard Dawn and just...I wanted to get to her...to keep her safe."

"Dawn can snap Buffy out of anything," Spike said, buckling his pants.

"Well, good. Now what the hell were you guys doing?" Dawn asked.

"Wow...most awkward moment ever..." Said a familiar voice. Dawn looked and further down the hall she saw Conner standing there looked at the four men, one nearly naked and Buffy on the ground still getting dressed. Then there was Dawn who tried to blend into the wall.

"Conner, man. It's the middle o' the night, what you doin' here?" Gunn asked.

Conner shrugged. "Forgot my briefcase somewhere," He said. "What in the heck is going on?"

"Spell," Lorne muttered.

"Gone wrong," Wesley finished.

"Oh, and the Slayer and me had sex...don't think that was part of a spell though," Spike said.

"Nu uh," Buffy said, agreeing with Spike. Dawn just wanted to have Super Slayer strength for a moment and slap them both.

"Of course," Conner sighed.

;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;

Yay Spuffy! Now wasn't that fun? Please review :)


	7. Seven

Man Conner must get tired of walking in on these types of things, :) Anyway, less Spuffy this time, more Dawnner!  
... Awkwardness Alert...

"It was a good spell, though," Wesley promised.

"Sure it was," Conner said sarcastically.

"Well," Gunn said, "It was 'sposed to stop the apocalypse."

"Or at least make it easier to stop," Wesley said.

"So what's going on now?" Conner asked, knowing there were always consequences.

"Well, it was a Love and War spell...it was supposed to stop war," Wesley said.

"Now, everyone's making love," Lorne said, waving his arms for emphasis.

Dawn still tried to blend into the wall as Conner looked at everyone, but it didn't work. Conner gave her a curious look, then looked back at the others. Buffy quietly pulled her pants back on and threw Spike's shirt at him, using Spike's long jacket to cover herself.

"Everyone?" Conner asked.

"Well, everyone within a mile radius," Wesley told him. Conner threw his arms out.

"What about me? Just because I'm not meant to exist doesn't mean I can't have love," Conner exaggerated.

"Hmm," Wesley mused, "I suppose you weren't affected. Yes, because you weren't meant to exist as you said. Dawn too."

"Huh," Dawn said, looking up from edging towards her room.

"Dawn, you weren't meant to exist, as Conner wasn't, so the two of you weren't affected," Wesley told her.

"No, I do exist," Dawn said loudly.

"Of course you do Dawn," Buffy said, getting up to hug her sister strongly. Dawn leaned on Buffy. Buffy being fully dressed, Spike leaned down and grabbed his jacket.

"So, this was a spell then, was it?" Spike asked, sliding his jacket on.

"No, I believe we've been talking about milk for the past few minutes," Wesley said sarcastically.

"No need to get snippy, _Head Boy_. Not everybody can be so posh," Spike remarked and stalked off down the hall.

Wesley scoffed at Spike, "Where you going?"

"Off to find Illyria, see that she doesn't shag anyone to death," Spike informed.

"If our observations are correct, Illyria shouldn't be affected either," Wesley yelled after him. Spike flipped his middle finger behind him and turned the corner without looking.

Buffy held onto Dawn. "He's just mad he got thrown through a wall again," Buffy told her. Dawn wasn't worried about Spike, she was worried about this stupid spell.

"Again?" Gunn asked loudly.

"Yeah, well...the other time it was a window...or two," Buffy replied.

"Uh huh," Gunn said.

"Excuse me, kids," Lorne interjected, "Can we please concentrate on this spell mishap, think about what Angel must be doing."

Everybody froze then took off in the direction of Angel's office. Dawn hoped Angel didn't lose his soul again, that happened too much. If Angel lost his soul then he might never get back together with Buffy.

As they reached Angel's office, they noticed that Harmony wasn't at her desk. Wesley peeked his head in the door and quickly came back out. "Okay, how do we wake him up, like Dawn woke up Buffy?" Wesley asked.

"Dawn, can you scream again?" Buffy asked.

"I can't just scream on command," Dawn said, "I screamed because you were... Shagging the world's lamest vampire."

"Actually, that would be Angel," Conner said in her ear, she brushed Conner away.

As they stood and though about what to do, Dawn didn't notice Conner slipping behind her. She did notice the others watching something behind her though.

"What?" She asked. They didn't say anything. "What?" She asked again, getting annoyed.

"AHH!" Conner screamed behind her, picking her up by her sides. She shrieked loudly. Conner put her down smiling. She turned around and started hitting him, knowing it didn't do any good. But it felt good to her.

Wesley peeked in the door again. "No go," He said sadly.

Dawn sighed, her scream was useless again. Suddenly Buffy lit up with an idea. She shushed everyone and stood next to the door. "Oh Spike! Do it again, do it again!" She called through the door in ecstasy.

"Buffy!" Dawn whispered. Buffy shushed her and stood by the door smiling. All of a sudden Angel opened the door, his jacket held in front of him.

"Buffy?" Angel echoed. Buffy smiled at him. Harmony walked past him, smoothing out her shirt. Angel's eyes followed her for a moment then returned to Buffy.

"I see you were affected as well," Wesley said.

"Affected?" Angel asked, "So the spell didn't work?"

"Not even remotely," Wesley said.

"But hey, at least everyone's playing nice," Lorne said optimistically.

"Real nice," Conner added.

"Hmm," Angel said, he grabbed a shirt off the floor behind him and pulled it on, "We should get to work then."

"Oh yeah," Gunn said, "Before someone gets too much action."

"Girls, you go back to your room, we'll take care of this," Angel said to Dawn and Buffy.

"What are we going to do?" Conner asked Angel.

"Conner," Angel sighed, "Um, actually. You should probably go home, you know, get some sleep. We'll need you tomorrow when we discuss our next plan."

"Course," Conner said, a little peeved at being told to go home. But Angel was his father and his boss. He'd go home.

Dawn and Buffy went to their room without complaint and Conner went home, forgetting his briefcase yet again and only remembering it once he got there, but it being so late and Wolfram and Hart such an unpredictable place, he decided to just get it the next day.

Spike walked down the hall, heading towards the training room Illyria like when he found her gazing at a wall that was made to have water dripping down it. "Havin' fun?" Spike asked.

"What is it you mean by that?" Illyria asked.

"Nothin'," Spike said back, knowing she'd have some kind of retort for that too.

"How can you say something that does not mean anything?" Illyria asked, not taking her eyes off of the wall.

"Have you felt anything? Like in the past hour, something inside?" Spike asked.

"You are not answering my question," Illyria pointed out.

"You're not answerin' mine either, blue," Spike said back, leaning against the wall.

"I...do not know how to answer," She said, "I have felt many things...yet nothing at all."

"Of course you would say that," Spike said dully.

Illyria finally looked over at him and looked him up and down. "You are a very strange creature...vampires were made to be heartless and uncaring, yet you are full of grief and longing...it sickens me." Illyria wrinkled her nose at Spike, not liking his emotions.

"Yeah, blue? Well, we can't all have what we want now can we?" Spike asked rhetorically.

"No...I suppose not," Illyria said, finally agreeing with Spike on something. "I wish for violence..."

"You always want violence," Spike said.

"Yes," Illyria said, "so give me violence."

Spike smiled. "Another night, blue," He told her.

"Why do you smile at this?" Illyria asked.

Spike shook his head, "No reason."

"You creatures are very strange," Illyria told him and stomped down the hall, probably to find something to hit.

"Ever thought you're one of those strange creatures?" Spike called after her. She stopped and turned to glare at him for a moment and then continued down the hall. Spike smiled, she reminded him of Buffy strangely.

Spike went to his apartment and drank beer and waited for the meeting to discuss how to save the world again. That night, strangely, nothing bad happened. The spell was reversed and everyone slept well. Actually we don't know if Illyria sleeps, but we believe she found a nice fern plant to harass and had a good time.

...  
I don't think I have any endnotes for this chapter, except that it seemed short to me. [shrugs] It might not be though. 


	8. Eight

I know that last chapter sucked, sorry. It was too short, but the chapters will start getting longer :)  
Promise ya  
...

Spike was the last one to enter Angel's office. Angel sat at the head of the table, of course, couldn't he just let Buffy sit there, she _was _the real boss here. Buffy sat to Angel's left, Dawn was next to Buffy, then Lorne. On the other side was Conner, then Gunn, then Wesley. Illyria was off in a corner staring at a plant with her arms folded.

What's with her and plants, Spike wondered. He took his seat next to Lorne and returned Angel's menacing glare with a raised eyebrow and cocked head.

"So, what's the plan?" Spike asked.

"Well, _Spike_, that's what we're here to discuss," Angel said.

"Course," Spike muttered and watched Illyria sit beside Wesley, across from Spike. She glared at Spike for a moment then focused on Angel.

"So, let's go over what's happening," Angel said.

"You already told us yesterday," Dawn said.

"Yeah, but let's just go over it again, to be sure we _all_ know what's going on," Angel said, glancing at Spike.

"What is it that threatens you mortals?" Illyria asked.

"Well, something's been killing our clients," Angel said gravely.

"And that's a bad thing, how?" Buffy asked with a grin from Dawn.

"The motto here, Slayer, is that if someone's going to kill our clients it's better be us," Spike told her.

"Spike," Angel sighed. Spike grinned proudly. "Don't listen to him," Angel told Buffy and Dawn.

"What Angelface means, ladies," Lorne interjected, "Is that someone is killing off our more innocent clients."

"Innocent clients?" Buffy asked, "You have innocent clients?" Angel nodded. "Are they just _insane_ or under a _curse_?"

"No way!" Gunn defended, "Well, some are insane...and some are cursed." Buffy cocked her eyebrow at him. "But hey, we ain't completely evil, sister."

Angel cleared his throat, looking around at everyone. "An enemy is demolishing your people," Illyria said, "In my day I would crush the life out of them. Why do you not do the same?"

"Well, we don't know who it is, exactly," Angel confessed.

"Then how do you know it's the same bloke killin' everyone off?" Spike asked.

"There's an insignia," Angel muttered. He passed around photos of bodies. Buffy swished them past Dawn, not letting her see the mangled and torn corpses. Dawn wrinkled her nose at Buffy but didn't grab the pictures.

Spike held one picture, it was of a woman, her chest was ripped out and placed neatly on the inside was a rose. Surprisingly there wasn't much blood. The others faces were ruffled with disgust, except Illyria, who seemed to find peace in the photos.

Spike threw a placid glance at Angel, who recognized the look. "No, Spike," Angel answered without Spike even asking.

"What?" Buffy asked Angel.

"Nothing," Angel said offhandedly.

"Could be," Spike offered, sliding the photos back.

"Could be what? Please, share with the rest of the class," Lorne demanded.

"Yes, Angel. If there's any possibility that you know who's doing this, please let us know so we can research them," Wesley said to Angel.

Spike just stared at Angel, waiting for him to blurt out everything, because he always did when the gang begged to know something. Angel stared right back, Angel wished he hadn't said anything.

"There was...this guy," Angel started, Buffy watched him intently. "A long time ago. We were big enemies back then. We were friends until Spike pissed him off."

"Hey, you did your fair share too, mate," Spike accused.

"Anyway," Wesley sighed, trying to get the story down, "This guy, he didn't like you two?"

"No," Angel said, "But before that we used to...you know...pillage...together."

"Pillage?" Wesley asked, confused. Spike grinned.

"Wasn't pillagin', but same principle," Spike said, correcting Angel.

"Right then," Wesley muttered.

"Anyway," Angel said, "Along the way, this guy got really mad with us, he swore revenge."

"He swore all up and down the street revenge," Spike said.

"Leaving a rose in the chest of victims was his trademark," Angel said darkly.

"Killed anyone who did the same," Spike said.

"Great," Wesley said, "What was his name?"

Spike and Angel shared a glance. "Cero," they both said.

Wesley wrote the name down. "I assume there is no last name?" Angel shook his head.

Spike looked at the photos again, so did Angel. "You really think it's him?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. If someone else was doin' it, they'd be dead already. Cero doesn't stand for people to take his trademark," Spike muttered. He looked over at Illyria who was smiling eerily, it actually creeped him out a little. She'd wished for violence and here it was.

"I already considered the possibility of it being him, that's why I ordered the Love and War spell, to see if it really is him. But I think we should find out what gang he's running now," Angel ordered.

"Don't know what I can do there, Angelface," Lorne said, "Gangs aren't my thing."

"I know, that's why Gunn, you're on the streets with Conner, see what you can find about Cero's gang," Angel ordered. Gunn nodded seriously. "And Lorne, ask around the show-biz part of L.A. about any sign of Cero, he sometimes hangs out in the lime-light." Lorne nodded.

"Wesley," Angel said, "I need to know everything Cero's done in the past century." Wesley wrote it down and nodded. "Spike, Illyria," Angel said, Illyria looked up from her photos and paid attention to Angel. "I need you to do scouting around the normal gangs spots." Illyria nodded, Spike just sat and stared as usual, which he knew pissed Angel off.

"What about us, Angel?" Buffy asked.

"Buffy, you and Dawn stay here," Angel said, "We haven't hit apocalypse quite yet, we'll need you later on." Spike could see a bit of anger in Buffy's eyes, though she hid it well. She hated taking orders from Angel and Spike knew it.

"You have your orders," Angel said, breaking up the meeting. Spike watched Dawn and Buffy leave and go to their room. Spike waited until everyone left.

Spike glanced again at the photos as the the silence pressed on him. Spike was alone in the same room as Angel, which bothered him. "So, what you gonna do when they find his gang?" Spike asked.

"I'm not sure," Angel sighed, he held up a photo and examined the neatness of the massacres. "Maybe seek him out...stop him from killing innocents."

"Cause that's what we're all about," Spike mumbled.

"Yup," Angel agreed.

Spike got up to leave. "Oh, and, I heard you had fun with Harmony," Spike teased.

"Get out of here before I get the nerve to shoot you," Angel warned coldly.

Spike raised his hands up as he walked to the door. "Alright, alright. Geez, no need to get witty," He said, teasing again. Angel sighed as Spike left the room.

Spike didn't remember going down the hall. He didn't remember going to his apartment. He could only remember leaving Angel's office, then darkness.

"Hi, Blondie-bear!" That painfully chirpy voice said next to him. He opened his eyes and looked at Harmony who held a knife next to his face. "Guess what? We're going to be roomies!" She chirped. Spike moaned and noticed he was in a basement, again. And there were ropes tying him to a chair, again.

Spike felt the drugs Harmony must have used on him rushing through his head. "I knew you weren't good," Spike said as loud as he could, which was barely above a whisper.

"Of course I'm good. But this guy, he said you're the ultimate bad or something. Anyway, he paid me to bring you here, so I don't care if this makes me good or bad. I don't like you, and now you get tortured," Harmony said in her own stupid way. She smiled. Dragging the knife into Spike's cheek and carving and gash up to his temple. Spike almost yelled in pain, but he held it in, knowing Harmony could and would do worse.

"Who?" He choked out.

"You mean who paid me?" She asked. "I think his name was C-Row."

"Cero," Spike corrected. Harmony nodded her pretty little blonde head. She got off Spike's lap and let go of his head, letting blood run down his face. His head lolled for a minute before Harmony grabbed his hair and lifted up his head. She made him look toward the stairwell of the basement.

"Good work, Harmony," The Mexican told her. Harmony bounced in excitement. "Spike, it's been a long time..." Spike just stared at him. He was dressed in red, as he always was. His face was hidden in shadow, but Spike recognized him. "Do you know why I've arranged for you to be here?" Spike didn't reply. Cero moved to where Spike could see the long dark scar across his tan face. "You're my practice...and revenge...you will die a thousand times and wish you were in hell for what you've done to me. For taking my bride...and for damning me."

"Get...over...it," Spike managed to say.

Cero's face flushed with anger. "I shall! With your torture! I will learn how to make you beg for mercy and death. Then I shall do the same upon your ally, Angel." Spike started to laugh, he couldn't help it. He hated Angel, but Cero didn't know that he'd given Spike something that would let him last through anything: The promise that Angel would receive the same as him. "Stop, this is no joking manner," Cero commanded. Spike didn't stop laughing, in fact he laughed more, but now he didn't know why. Maybe it was the drugs Harmony gave him, maybe she gave him too much. She was an idiot so it wouldn't be hard for her.

Cero punched Spike in the face, almost hitting Harmony. "Hey!" She yelped. He glared at her. "Warn me first," she pouted and went across the room.

"I will make you beg for death..." Cero said darkly, pulling forth a long pointed saw.

"Oh, Bullocks..." Spike groaned.

...  
Sorry about no Conner Dawn this chapter, they'll take over the fanfic again soon :)


	9. Nine

Surprisingly I have absolutely nothing to say in this space here. Hm Enjoy :)

…

Conner looked at his watch, four o' clock, "Hey G-man," He said to Gunn, "Break-time." They were in an alleyway just after talking to some gang members.

"Boy, I told ya, you ain't gangster enough to call me that," Gunn said smiling as he punched Conner in the arm.

"Whatever," Conner said, "Anyway. I'm off."

"What? You got a date or something?" Gunn asked.

"Something like that," Conner admitted. Gunn laughed at that but let Conner lead them back to Wolfram and Hart. All the gangs they talked to were dead ends. Sure, some heard rumors about a vampire gang involving Cero, but no one knew for sure.

When Conner got back to the building, he went straight to Dawn's room, hoping he wasn't too late.

…

Angel waited as slowly everyone began to report back to him. First came Lorne, saying there weren't any Cero's in the biz, and that he couldn't find any leads to one. Angel dismissed him to his regular work, he hadn't hoped for much anyway.

Wesley came next. He said he hadn't found anything either, only vague references and tales of someone with Cero's trademark, but nothing solid. Wesley left to do more research.

Gunn showed up, saying Conner had a date and ditched him. He also said they had no leads. So frustrating. Cero seemed to be like liquid, Angel knew he was there but he just couldn't grab him.

Angel was surprised when Illyria stomped into the room. Without Spike Angel noticed. Good, Spike needed to stay away.

"I caused much violence," Illyria said, almost happily. Yes, violence, Illyria just loved violence.

"Okay…Any leads on Cero?" Angel asked, wondering if Illyria even remembered to ask people. Spike probably put her in line, or tried to anyway. Spike couldn't do anything right, so Illyria probably did everything.

"No. I asked the men before I slaughtered them, but no one knew," Illyria reported then smiled, "Spreading their entrails along the streets was very pleasurable." That creeped Angel out. He'd most likely hear about the entrails later.

"Spike actually let you do that?" He had to ask, wincing.

Illyria tilted her head, annoyingly reminding Angel of Spike. "I did not see Spike. He wasn't with me when I interrogated the men."

"He wasn't?" Angel asked. That was weird, Spike usually liked to go with Illyria to beat people up.

"No. I haven't seen Spike since earlier when we were first told of this Cero," Illyria told him, eyeing the plant in the corner. So Spike went solo, or just totally blew it off. How stupid of him to leave Illyria by herself to do that. Illyria left the plant alone and left.

Angel decided that when Spike came back, he would send him to evaluate Illyria further, just as punishment.

…

Dawn looked in the mirror again. She looked the same as five minutes ago. She didn't know why she was so nervous, her makeup looked fine and she was dressed reasonably.

So why did butterflies start flying around in her chest? It was just Conner, some guy who worked at Wolfram and Hart. And it was just coffee, plain and simple. She tried to make herself believe that she was exhausted and needed coffee to live and just happened to be getting some with a random boy.

Except he wasn't just a random boy. He was Conner. And she wasn't ever tired. She was hyper and twitchy, and coffee would probably make that worse. She didn't want to spas out in front of Conner, that would be too embarrassing.

No, this was a date. She had to admit that. She glanced in the mirror again, just to be sure. "You're going to break that mirror if you keep glaring at it like that," Buffy teased her.

"Whatever," Dawn said back. She went into the next room and sat on the bed. Buffy glanced at her nostalgically.

"You're acting like it's your first date," Buffy told her. Dawn blushed. She'd been on lots of dates since leaving Sunnydale. This wasn't supposed to be a big deal.

"It's just coffee," Dawn told her like she'd been telling herself.

"It's never just coffee," Buffy said, "Just like it's never just patrolling or just a stake out."

"You go on weird dates," Dawn said and laughed. Buffy laughed too. They heard an ominous knock at the door. Dawn froze and didn't know what to do. She looked to Buffy for help.

Buffy grinned and went to the door. "Oh, hi Conner!" Buffy said loudly, trying to embarrass Dawn. Dawn blushed and jumped off the bed. "Sure! She's right here!" Buffy ushered a nervous and twitchy Dawn over to the door. They're such a cute couple, Buffy thought.

**I like to see people squirm in fear, so let's go back a few minutes :)***

Conner walked towards Dawn's room with pride. Okay, maybe more like deep-rooted fear. Same thing. He didn't know why a simple coffee date with an almost random girl intimidated him so much. Maybe it was the sister of the slayer part that scared the hell out of him. Definitely, but also, Dawn was a nice girl and he didn't want to do anything to make her unhappy.

He knocked on the door, still unsure why he felt the way he did, and waited for Dawn. Buffy answered the door instead which made him tense up all over. He waited for Buffy to hit him.

"Oh, hi Conner!" She boomed out. That scared Conner too, maybe not as much.

"Hi Buffy. Uhm, is Dawn here?" He asked weakly.

"Sure! She's right here!" Buffy announced. She left the door as Conner fidgeted. Maybe Buffy had a hyper spell on her. Conner hated spells.

Dawn appeared with Buffy shoving her out the door. Dawn blushed at Conner, apparently embarrassed of her sister. Her mere smile made Conner feel lightheaded.

"Hey, Dawn," He greeted, "Ready to go?" Dawn nodded and Conner lead her down the hall as they started to talk about college.

…

Spike was hallucinating again and he knew it. He didn't really care either, as long as it stayed a hallucination. It was Drusilla coming at him. He only turned away from her. He didn't even want an imaginary Dru.

"Spike…don't you want me?" Buffy asked. He turned and saw that Dru was gone, replaced by Buffy. He wondered whether he should respond or not. She was imaginary, and Spike learned long ago that it's really awkward to talk to people other's can't see. So he simply turned away.

"I thought you loved me," Buffy pleaded. If Cero wanted Spike tortured, he'd have to do better than this. Spike was already bruised and bloodied all over, but he could deal with that. This wasn't his first torture after all.

"I love you, William," Buffy whispered.

"Bloody don't," he muttered.

"Spike?" Imaginary Buffy was confused.

"Don't bloody say that," He told her. Imaginary Buffy started to cry, which made Spike sick. He hated when Buffy cried. He tried to tune her out, but couldn't.

Would it never end? Even Spike's hallucinations were torturing him. Everyone he knew hated him. They all wanted him dead. Buffy, Nibblet, Angel, Dru, everyone at Wolfram and Hart.

But he wouldn't die now, he'd stay alive just because he hated them, too. And Cero said Angel would get the same. Spike would stay alive just to see that. And maybe to shag once more with Harmony, since she did manage to do something evil for once.

…

The coffee was really hot and almost burned Dawn's tongue. Conner almost spit out his coffee at how hot it was, Dawn giggled, Conner was so goofy. "So," Dawn said, getting back to their conversation. "They gave you a whole family?"

"Yeah. None of them have their original memories back, since they weren't very altered in the first place," Conner confirmed.

"Cool. I got a family too," Dawn said. "My mom died the year I was technically born though."

"Sorry. Yeah…me too," Conner said, "She died when I was born."

"I'm sorry. Did she die in childbirth?" Dawn asked curiously.

"Kindof, I think," Conner said, "I meant my real mother. I heard she staked herself before I was even out of her. She did it so she wouldn't kill me."

"Heavy," Dawn said.

"Yeah," Conner said, "Then I went crazy once."

"Really?" Dawn asked. She wondered if starting a fire in her room and cutting herself and becoming clepto counted as going crazy.

"Yeah…I don't remember it as much now…but it involved me giving up on the world and strapping bombs to innocent people, including Cordelia…"

"Cordelia?" She asked. Conner nodded. "Cordelia Chase?" He nodded again. "How'd you know her?"

"She worked with Angel…got taken over by something evil and well…she was like a mother to me…most of the time," Conner said. He sipped his coffee and looked around. "Anyway. Angel stopped me from killing people."

"Yeah…Angel does that," She told him.

"Hm. Yeah, I realize that now," Conner said. "I used to think Angel was evil."

"Hey, so did we," Dawn said, supporting him.

"Really?" Conner asked.

"Sure! Vampire and evil kinda go together, so suspicion is expected with that. I don't think Xander ever really got over it," Dawn said.

"Over what?" Conner asked.

"Angel stealing Buffy away from him," Dawn said, sipping her coffee, glad it was cooling down.

"Angel stole her away?" He asked. "No way, Angel never gets near women."

"Yeah, right. He was all over Buffy, especially when he went evil," Dawn said, eyeing Conner.

"Then why did he leave?" Conner asked.

"I…don't know. I don't think Buffy really knows either," Dawn said, thinking back to that terrible year. She hadn't technically been born yet, but she still had the memory of it.

"So why should Buffy be with Angel if he does things like that?" Conner asked.

"Well…he's better than Spike," Dawn said, still hating Spike to the core.

"Maybe…but Spike didn't leave her," Conner pointed out.

"I bet he wanted to though," Dawn said.

"But that doesn't make Angel a better date for Buffy than Spike," Conner said, "You never know how Buffy and Spike felt."

"I know how Buffy felt…she didn't love him, she never did," Dawn said, trying to talk sense into Conner, "She loved Angel with all her heart."

"And Angel knew that, yet he left her behind in Sunnydale," Conner said, proving his point again.

"But Spike almost raped her," Dawn whispered furiously.

Conner thought about that. "But he didn't?" He asked.

"What?" Dawn asked, confused by his question.

"You said almost. Most people who start, finish. Maybe he started to, but backed off because he realized he was wrong," Conner suggested.

"I still hate him for it…" Dawn said, looking back down at her coffee. She couldn't believe Conner would defend Spike.

"Look, I hate him too. But I don't think Buffy should be with Angel is all," Conner confessed to her.

"Why did you ask me to get coffee with you?" Dawn asked innocently, looking up into his eyes.

"Uhm. I wanted to…get to know you, you know. And coffee is ideal for doing that…I guess," Conner said awkwardly. Explaining himself was always hard for Conner.

"Really?" Dawn asked. Did he actually like her?

"Yeah," Conner said. Dawn smiled and leaned on him. Conner wrapped his arm around her. He would always protect her, he decided.

****

Yay, they had a nice time.

:The Next Day:

Angel was surprised, once more, when Buffy strode into his office. He hadn't called for anyone and Buffy seemed to be avoiding him anyway.

"What's up Angel?" Buffy asked in her dead serious tone.

"What do you mean?" Angel asked back.

"Angel," She sighed, rolling her eyes, "The only thing I see here is a gang of demons and vampires, which you haven't even found yet."

"Yeah, and the killings," Angel said.

"So, I still don't see where the apocalypse is," Buffy said impatiently.

"Buffy," Angel sighed leaning forward.

"No," She said, "I want to know why I'm here. You can't just cry wolf when there's only sheep."

Just as Buffy went into epic speech mode Angel clicked a button on a remote. The screen at the back of the room filled with life. Buffy turned to look at it and turned to stone.

It was a picture of a circular seal with symbols carved all around it. In the middle was a carving of a ram's head. "What is that, Angel?" Buffy asked, though she knew what it was.

"The picture was taken last week in a cave underneath a meat factory," Angel told her.

"That can't be…not in Los Angeles," Buffy said. Denying the image.

"Buffy…" Angel said, she looked at him, knowing what he'd say, "It's a Hellmouth."

…

Bum Bum Bum (eery music)

I just wonder which ending song would play here, Buffy's or Angel's? I think Buffy's, but I'll let you decide for yourself.

As always (even though I don't say it), thanks for reading! Please Review. :)


	10. Ten

Angel called for everyone to meet at his office, after having a fight with Buffy on whether they should tell everyone about it or not. Buffy won, of course.

Everyone showed up except for Spike. Angel was peeved that Spike would ignore his orders for so long, but he wasn't here to annoy Angel, so whatever. "There's something we need to discuss," Angel announced.

"Los Angeles has a Hellmouth," Buffy blurted, ruining Angel's moment.

"Whoa, whoa," Lorne said, "Wasn't your little sunny one the one and only?"

"No," Buffy answered, "There was the one in Sunnydale, but we found another in Cleveland a few years ago."

"So this is pretty routine for you guys?" Gunn asked.

Buffy and Dawn looked at each other sadly, remembering when they closed the Cleveland Hellmouth, they'd lost a lot of people and it had taken the whole Slayerette army to get it closed.

"Nothing about a Hellmouth is ever routine," Buffy said gravely.

"We lost Kennedy," Dawn muttered. Poor Willow had lost Tara _and_ Kennedy. She hoped things would go better this time.

"So a few people take the fall," Gunn said. Angel tried to warn Gunn with his eyes, Buffy was starting to tense up. "That's standard for a big project like a Hellmouth." Buffy-speech-time, Angel thought.

"Oh, no," Dawn sighed, sensing that Gunn was about to have his head chopped off.

"Standard?" Buffy asked flatly. "When is death ever _standard_?"

"In business, death is sometimes necessary," Gunn explained. Angel wished Gunn would shut up because Buffy's eyes grew sharp as daggers.

"Necessary?" Buffy asked again, "You can't just say it like you want death. You can't just accept that people are going to die. You have to do everything you can to prevent it. Some might die during battle, I admit. But you can't _plan_ on it. People have died closing the Hellmouths. But death cannot ever be standard." Buffy finished and watched as no one knew what to say. A few minutes silence went by.

"I agree with Buffy-kins," Lorne said, breaking the silence.

"I wish for my pet…" Illyria said quietly. Everyone wondered what she meant.

"So what's your plan on closing the Hellmouth?" Wesley asked Angel.

Before Angel could answer, Conner interrupted. "I think Buffy would head this operation," He said, business-like. Buffy smirked at him, he was winning her favor. Dawn smiled at him too.

"We need to scout the building above the Hellmouth. Once that's done we'll talk teams and station," Buffy announced.

"Who's scouting?" Gunn asked Buffy. Did they all forget that Angel was the CEO?

"I don't know. What do you think, Angel?" Buffy said, turning to him.

"Buffy, you should definitely go, take Conner and Gunn with you," Angel told her. She nodded. Angel gave her the address and dismissed the meeting.

…

Two days. The longest Spike had been gone without telling someone was four days. Illyria wondered if this was cause for worry.

Illyria knew from Fred's memories that Spike closed the Sunnydale Hellmouth. Was he necessary to close the Los Angeles Hellmouth? No, the blonde woman said they closed another one without him. So why did she wish for Spike so badly.

Spike, she decided, was like violence, he was something she needed…but why did she need anything but violence she pondered. She, a god, never needed, that was a human thing. So why? She liked to hit Spike. His words often confused her, but she wanted his words to come to her then. She wanted to hit Spike.

…

Illyria spotted Lorne sitting at a table in the lounge so she sat across from him. He looked at her awkwardly.

"Uh, hey there…Blue," he said, using Spike's nickname for her. But his words mattered not to her.

"I have want for Spike," She told him flat out.

"Okay," Lorne said, not understanding why Illyria would tell him this.

"I, the mighty God Illyria, have want for something other than death and violence," She insisted.

Lorne cracked a smile, "Ok, baby Blue, maybe you don't know Spike that well."

"Why?" Illyria asked.

"Why?" He repeated. She nodded and stared at him. "Well, you haven't been here long and…"

"No," She said, her patience wearing thin, "Why do I have want for him?"

"Oh…" Lorne said, surprised. "I guess you like the boy."

"Impossible," Illyria said immediately. "He is a half…_thing_…. I am the-"

"Mighty god Illyria. I know," Lorne said. Then more softly added, "Even a god can fall in love, baby Blue." She titled her head, something Spike rubbed off on her. "How 'bout a song, huh?" Lorne asked.

"What? Why?" Illyria asked.

"So I know if you really like him, silly," Lorne said. Illyria could smell him getting more comfortable talking about love and singing. "Just a few bars, come on."

Illyria did not want to sing. Either she didn't want to know how she felt about Spike, or she was just fed up with the green demon, probably both. But she got up and left, sensing his relief at her departure.

…Many seconds and hours later…

Dawn sat on her bed. It had been three days since Dawn and Conner's date. And he hadn't asked her on another one. He was probably busy with the Hellmouth. Buffy already took Conner and Gunn to explore some meat place, they came back and now Buffy and Angel have been planning things for the Hellmouth.

Dawn wondered if they could use Spike again to close it. She hadn't seen him in a while. Maybe he left for good now, right when the _real _fighting started too, how typical of him.

…

The papers looked good, but Angel knew it would be different in action. The plans had Buffy, Angel, Illyria and Spike positioned right in the Hellmouth, with Lorne, Gunn and Wesley using spells to help them in the next room. Buffy called Willow and she said she'd fly in to help. Conner and Dawn were positioned outside, as guards. As CEO, Angel also had lots of men available set up around the meat factory to slay what Buffy called Uber-Vamps.

Now Angel called a meeting to tell everybody. Again, everybody but Spike showed up. What the hell was with him. Everyone accepted their positions and Angel told them where to meet the next night to start closing it.

"We can't," Illyria opposed.

"And why not?" Angel asked, sighing. It was going so well that he didn't want any problems now.

"Spike has not returned yet," Illyria reported, "He is one of the champions. We cannot continue without him." Angel cursed in his head. The last meeting Spike was at was on Thursday.

"Okay, has anyone seen Spike since Thursday?" Angel asked everyone. They all shook their heads. It was now Monday. Five days and still not back, something was wrong. Spike loved to hang around and be an ass. He wouldn't just leave, especially with Cero supposedly in town. Spike at least would have told Illyria.

"Something's definitely wrong," Wesley said. 'Obviously," Everyone else said mentally.

"Could this be cause by Cero?" Illyria asked, spelling out Angel's exact thoughts. Everyone was silent and looked back to Angel who stared down at the table, deep in thought.

Illyria quietly wondered if Cero was hurting Spike. She hoped not. "What will Cero do to Spike?" Illyria asked.

Angel frowned. "Torture," he replied.

"Someone is hurting Spike?" Illyria asked angrily.

"Probably," Angel told her. Illyria stared down. Spike was _her_ pet. Only _she_ could hit him. How dare this _Cero_ steal _her_ Spike.

"Hey, baby Blue, cool it on the flames, huh?" Illyria looked up at Lorne. He was cringing at her anger. He could sense it without Illyria having to sing. Good, Illyria wanted her wrath to be known. She got up and stalked to the door.

"Hey," Angel barked, "Where you going?"

"Spike is _mine_," She yelled behind her.

Angel let her go. Maybe she would kill Cero for him while she was gone. Buffy was happy that at least someone wanted Spike back, Spike deserved to be found by someone other than Buffy. "Should I send for a search party?" Wesley asked.

"No," Angel said.

"Angel," Buffy sighed. Now was not the time to hold a grudge.

"We'll wait on Willow. She can do a search spell for us. She's better than any spell caster we have," Angel said. He still frowned at the table. Buffy looked at Angel approvingly. "Not even Spike deserves what Cero can do," Angel muttered. That Angel would say something like that made Buffy scared for Spike.

…

Harmony let herself into the basement. Cero told her not to come in here by herself, but she was evil, so hey. She looked at Spike, just laying there. More like twitching in his sleep.

She crouched beside him and ran her hand along the burn marks and cuts. Cero planned to carve Spike up before he stopped. But Harmony wondered if Cero would stake Spike or leave him tied up under the ground somewhere.

Harmony felt a little bad for Spike. His entire existence just sucked. She found a bottle of tequila and gave Spike some, it would ease the pain a bit.

…

Illyria knocked down the door to Spike's apartment. It was empty, as she thought it would be. Five days. Too long to find his scent anywhere. She smelled it here, though. All over the place.

She found an old shirt of hit and inhaled his scent deeply. Alcohol and cigarettes. Illyria wasn't totally against Spike smelling this way. She stomped out, not bothering to fix the door. She would find Spike if she had to burn down all of L.A. to do it.

…

Thank you for reading :) Please review


	11. Eleven

Thanks so much to KyroxIsxSmexy Lazerwolf314 and NinjaEcho for supporting me. :)

Enjoy

…

Dawn sat on the steps in the lobby where Angel's office was. She was waiting for Willow to show up. "Hey there," Conner said from behind.

"Hi," Dawn said sheepishly.

"Looks like we're holding off on the apocalypse," Conner said, sitting down next to her.

"Yeah. Can't we just leave him with what's-his-name?" Dawn asked. Conner laughed.

"Buffy doesn't want to, believe me, I asked her already," Conner said. Dawn giggled at that.

"I'm just waiting for Willow," Dawn told him.

"Yeah, witch girl. I think I met her once," Conner said.

"Really?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah. I don't really remember it though," Conner said. It was a long time ago and had a filter of fake memories over it.

The elevator doors clicked open. Conner watched as a red-head and a guy with an eye-patch came in. Dawn's eyes lit up in surprise. "So this is evil Wolfram and Hart, I always knew lawyers were evil," The eye-patch guy said. Dawn giggled and rushed forward for hugs, leaving Conner a little confused and jealous.

…

Harmony finally left. Spike watched her lock the door and leave. He'd been waiting for the whole hour she'd been there for her to go. He glanced behind him, Harmony really was stupid. She'd left him the one thing no other captor had left him. There, on the coffee table, sat a telephone.

Now all he had to do was get there. He tried to lift himself up, ignoring the pain the action caused. Slowly and gently he made his way to the coffee table. He was surprised he wasn't tied down anymore. Harmony really was getting stupider.

At the phone he dialed a number he knew well. He sighed in relief when it actually rang. He wasn't sure if the phone would be connected. "Hello?" Her sweet voice came.

"I'm in a basement…again," Spike panted.

"What? Spike, is that you? You're in a basement?" Buffy asked, confusion in her voice.

"Bloody hell, yes," he grunted impatiently, "Just find harmony."

"Harmony? Why?" She asked.

"She knows where I am," Spike told her.

"Harmony kidnapped you?" She asked.

"Yeah..." Spike said.

"Why would she do that?" Buffy asked.

"Cero paid her to," Spike said weakly, unsure how long he could keep talking to Buffy.

"Okay. Spike, just hold on," Buffy said softly. She hung up and Spike put the phone down.

Good. Maybe Buffy hated him, but at least he could depend on her. She always got Spike back. As for harmony, Spike didn't know what Buffy would do to her.

But now he could relax. Buffy was on her way. He thought about going back to where he was, away from the coffee table. Too far, he stayed where he was. That was a bad idea though, because when Cero came in, he knew exactly what Spike had been doing. Cero decided to end this game now.

…

She could smell him. Illyria stomped down the alleyway angrily. It was so extremely faint, but she knew he was near, and that was enough for her.

It stopped. The scent stopped. She looked behind her and saw an indented set of stairs. She made her way down and saw the oversized padlock on the door. She took in it one hand and crushed it easily, kicking in the door almost at the same time.

Now his scent was strong. "Buffy…?" His groggy voice said from across the room. Illyria followed his voice and the scent of blood. She came to a coffee table and was afraid to step around it. She could see his blood already. It was all over the small table. She remembered she was a god of chaos and terror and took that step.

There was so much blood. For once violence didn't please her, it made Illyria sick now. _Her_ Spike. He had done this to _her _Spike. Illyria caught the bastards scent, he had exited through the door at the back. It seemed fresh enough that Illyria could chase him down now and kill him. But Spike groaned and Illyria made her choice. Spike was too injured for her to leave him here.

Illyria could see that Cero hadn't finished, he probably ran away at Illyria's intrusion. Spike's stomach was practically carved out, Cero must have avoided his chest so Spike wouldn't turn to ash before he had been thoroughly tortured. Deep gashes and burns covered him, and this was the first time Illyria had seen Spike without his hair slicked.

She leaned down next to Spike and pushed the T-shirt she still clutched in her hand into the huge wound to stop it's bleeding. Spike groaned though he was still passed out. Illyria wished Spike would get up, she wished he would mock her. Just something to let her know he was okay.

But he wasn't okay and Illyria knew it. She had to make him be okay. She made him get up. He woke up and panted, leaning on her. "Let's go, Spike," She ordered softly. He mumbled something she couldn't make out. She got under his arm and helped him to stand. He could almost walk, he just needed her guidance. She made him hold the T-shirt against him and slowly they walked out of the basement together.

…

Buffy watched Willow doing the spell in the building's main lobby. Angel and everyone else waited. There were cars and an ambulance waiting for the address. It all depended on Willow. Spike had told Buffy to ask Harmony, but she disappeared. No one knew where Harmony was.

Dawn still sat on the stairs. She was waiting too. Because as soon as this was done they could close the Hellmouth and go home.

Willow looked up, a look of surprise filling her face. "He's…here," She said.

"No, he's not," Angel said, "We checked, he can't be here." Willow looked at the entrance and pointed. Everyone turned to watch as Illyria and Spike walked in. Spike looked ready to drop right there.

Medical men on stand by came rushing into action. Carrying Spike away and leaving Illyria covered in Spike's blood, looking sad to see him going.

"Well, that was dramatic," Willow said, watching.

"Yeah. Is it like this everyday?" Xander asked.

"Pretty much," Angel grunted. "Illyria, what about Cero?"

"I've yet to destroy him," Illyria said coldly, staring down the hall where Spike was taken.

"Well, we can worry about him later. Willow, is there anything you can help us with now?" Angel asked her.

"Yeah. There's these spells I've been working on…" Willow said, continuing to describe various spells, but Illyria wasn't listening. Everyone left as Angel gave his orders. Then Angel left too.

Illyria wondered what she should do. Wait for Spike, or hunt down the man who hurt him. She wanted to kill. She wanted the violence of that man. But she wanted to make sure Spike was okay.

"You really like him, don't you?" The blonde woman asked, smiling.

"Why must you all say that? What does it mean?" Illyria asked back, a little bitterly.

"Well," Buffy said, thinking for a minute, "To like someone…I guess it means you want to protect him."

"Spike is _mine_," Illyria explained, "Only _I_ can hit him." Buffy laughed a little.

"Yeah, I felt that way too," Buffy said, "Almost. I let other people hit him too, I think."

"You can't hit Spike," Illyria warned, "He's _my_ pet."

"Okay, okay," Buffy said, backing off. Then more softly added, "I'm just glad someone finally cares about him."

"What do mean?" Illyria asked.

"Spike..." Buffy nearly whispered, "Doesn't have much luck with love. If you haven't noticed, not many people around here like him."

Illyria nodded, no one seemed to notice Spike's absence except to be glad he was gone. "Why not?"

Buffy smiled. "He's kind of an ass…" She said.

"Yes…" Illyria agreed. "But he's _mine_." Illyria walked down the hall, for once not sensing relief behind her but a lingering happiness. The Slayer certainly was strange to have affections for the vampires she was designed to destroy. But Illyria ignored it, she too was designed for violence, yet now she was finding herself attached to a lower being.

…

"So, he's back?" Willow asked Dawn while preparing her potions. "From the dead?"

"Yeah," Dawn replied, quite dejectedly.

"Well, at least now he can help with this Hellmouth," Willow said optimistically.

"I guess," Dawn said.

"I know you don't like him Dawn…but we need all the help we can get," Willow told her.

"I know," Dawn said. Dawn still hated Spike, but the Hellmouth was nothing to joke about.

"Anyway…" Willow said, putting down her tools. "I saw you making the googlie eyes at that boy," Willow teased.

"What? Spike?" Dawn asked, offended and disgusted.

"No, silly," Willow comforted, "Conner, the cute one."

"Oh…" Dawn sighed, "Yeah." Dawn blushed. Even Willow noticed Dawn's liking for Conner.

"Don't be embarrassed," Willow said. She sat down beside Dawn and rubbed her back. "I think it's cute. Have you two gone out?"

"Yeah, like once," Dawn told her.

"Only once?" She asked.

"Yeah well, apocalypse comes first after all," Dawn reminded her.

"Oh," Willow said. She nodded her head, understanding. "Maybe when this is all over he'll ask you out again," Willow suggested.

Dawn shook her head. "I'll be leaving with Buffy when the Hellmouth is closed. Assuming I don't die," Dawn said negatively.

"Dawn! I'm sure you'll have time for one more date!" Willow said trying to be supportive.

"I don't know," Dawn sighed, "He's too smart. He's from Harvard."

"Harvard?" Willow asked, her eyes popping out of her head. "Well, who needs smarties, huh? I think Skittles are much better," Willow supported.

"I agree, Skittles _are _pretty cool," Conner said from the doorway. Dawn's whole face turned red as she covered her mouth with her hands. Willow stuttered to find something to say. How much had Conner heard?

Dawn just plain got up and left, overcome with teenage-like embarrassment. Willow stood and tried to talk to Conner. "So…Harvard-boy. You and Dawn...You like her?" Willow asked.

"I guess," Conner said. In truth all he'd heard was the part about Skittles, he didn't know Willow and Dawn were talking about him.

"Uh huh. You guys…went out on a date?" Willow asked. She went into interrogation mode, like when she had interrogated Jonathan back in High School rather unsuccessfully.

"Yeah," Conner admitted. He considered it a date.

"And you haven't asked her on another one…?" She asked. She was making a slow circle around Conner, rubbing her hands together, which freaked Conner out a little.

"I guess not…" He told Willow. He was started to suspect Willow to do something dramatic soon.

"You know she's leaving when the Hellmouth is closed?" Willow asked, making sure Conner knew what was what.

"Yeah, I know," He said.

"Well, poo-head! Ask her on a date, then!" Willow said, exasperated, flinging her arms in the arm for effect.

Conner was taken aback by Willow's method but nodded his head and back away slowly. Willow sighed, her job done, and returned to her real job as Conner slowly left.

In the hallway Conner bumped into Xander. "Oh, hey! Conner-me-boy," Xander said in a pirate-y voice, which made Conner begin to think Sunnydale bred wierdos.

"Hey…" Conner said. He cringed as Xander swung his arms on Conner's shoulders as the walked.

"I hear you've taken a liking to our little Dawnie," Xander said, eyeing Conner.

"Yeah…I guess," Conner agreed.

"You guess! Don't you know anything," Xander said, shaking his head. "With Summers' women, you don't guess, you know. Like Buffy, when you like her, you know it. She knows it. The vampire in your basement knows it." Xander was getting a little off topic and weighing Conner down. Xander coughed and got back on track. "Anyway, I know you're a good guy and all, but I'm sure Buffy's told you the rules."

Conner shook his head, Buffy had creeped him out, but not threatened him yet. "Rreally?" Xander asked, surprised. "Well, I guess 'cause you're Angel's boy. Well, you know. If you do anything to Dawn, I'd have to break your legs…or find someone big to do it. You catch my drift?" Xander asked.

"Hurt Dawn…Legs broken, got it," Conner said. He didn't really find Xander threatening, just awkward.

"And Willow might look adorable and cute and totally harmless…but she could flay you're whole body in under a second. I've seen it. It's pretty gross," Xander told him.

"Thanks for the warning," Conner said, not knowing if Xander was serious.

"As long as we understand each other," Xander said, giving him what was supposed to be a threatening look, but just looked goofy.

As Xander turned of on the hall, Conner wandered down another hall, thinking over the awkward conversation of the day. As the got near Angel's office he spotted Buffy and Dawn talking further down. Immediately as he saw Dawn's face lit up laughing at a joke, he knew what Xander meant. When you like a Summers' woman, you don't think, you know.  
...

Thanks for reading :)


	12. Twelve

Conner watched as Buffy saw him and kindly left. Dawn was confused and then caught sight of Conner. Dawn blushed immediately. He wondered why she was doing that so much.

"Hi," Dawn greeted as Conner walked up.

"Hi," He said back, "What's up?"

"Oh, well, you know," Dawn said nonchalantly, "preparing for a Hellmouth, nothing important." They both laughed. Sarcasm seemed to be the new thing to do.

"Yeah," He said, "You doing anything later?"

"I don't think so," Dawn told him, "I don't think we'll close the Hellmouth until tomorrow."

"Cool," Conner said. Okay, time for Willow's intimidating advice. "So, later, you wanna go to a movie or something?" Dawn smiled and blushed a little.

"Sure," She said, then she gave Conner the evil eye, "You aren't asking because of Willow, are you?"

"Of course not," he said, fidgeting. "I wanted to ask…really," he promised.

"Okay," She said, her face softening up. "So pick me up at seven?"

"With my super human strength? Of course," he said, making Dawn giggled. She looked off in the distance.

"I have to go talk to Buffy," Dawn said and started to leave. Conner suddenly grew magical balls as he grabbed Dawn's arm and pulled her back to him. He pecked her shocked face on the cheek.

"See you at seven," he said suavely before turning and walking away. Dawn stood for a moment in the hallway red-faced and shell-shocked. She turned slightly to see Buffy with a giggly smile.

"Definitely the son of the Angel," Buffy said, remembering her first kiss with Angel.

Dawn merely bobbed her head. That was a huge surprise.

…

"So, it was Cero?" Angel asked in that always annoying voice of his, sitting behind his over-compensative desk.

"Obviously," Spike grunted. He was leaning against one of the chairs, watching Illyria stare at a plastic plant. Ever since those blokes magic-ed Spike back to normal, Illyria had practically been stalking him. She followed him everywhere, even the bathroom, even the bathroom, which was pretty awkward.

Angel stared at his desk, pretending to think about something. "Cero's not our only problem now, Spike," He said casually.

"Oh yeah? Did another bug crawl up your ass?" He asked. Angel sighed and put his hand over his eyes. "Cause I don't think there's anymore room in there, mate."

"No. There's another Hellmouth, here in Los Angeles," Angel said, not looking up.

"Seriously?" Spike asked, his brow scrunching together as he glanced at Illyria and back to Angel. "You're not just sayin' that so I'll commit sacrifice?" Angel just sighed at Spike's question, but Illyria gazed at Spike. She turned away from the plant to stand a few feet away from Spike and glared at Angel.

"I will not allow that to happen," She said in her deep god-like voice, her angry gaze enough to make a lesser man wet himself.

"Why not love? It'd save the world," Spike told her. Illyria glared at her in anger.

"The world has been saved without your death, I will not allow you to die _this_ time," She commanded. Angel let his head fall against the desk with a heavy thud.

"Why do gotta control everything? I can die for the world if I want to," Spike challenged, standing tall beside Illyria.

"You will _not _die under _any _circumstance because you are _mine_. I control you because I can. Because I am the mighty God-"

"Illyria! I know! We all know," Spike told her, she seemed to back down a little, "But when're you gonna get off _your_ bloody high horse and realize you're not a _god_ anymore!" Illyria slammed her hand into Spike's neck, choking him. They glared at each other. Angel stayed down and wondered when they would both leave.

"I hate to break up this lovely scene," Buffy said at the door, "But there's a Hellmouth to see." Illyria let go of Spike and glared at Angel whose head had snapped up at the sound of Buffy's voice. Dawn stepped out from behind her sister to glare at Spike.

"Don't stay there too long, you know how Hellmouths are," Angel warned.

"Don't worry. Quick tour, in and out. No problem," Buffy told him.

"Oh, yeah and mate, get an exterminator," Spike remarked before following Illyria out the door. Spike noticed that Dawn looked upset. She probably didn't want to be anywhere near Spike, now or ever, but she didn't have to be here. "Something wrong, Nibblet?" Spike asked as nicely as he could. Dawn just glared and got farther away. "Hellmouths _are _pretty tricky," He tried. Buffy and Illyria remained ahead of them, Illyria talking about violence.

"I know," She said harshly. Now Spike really hit lit her flame. She was obviously upset by something Hellmouth related.

"What? You lose someone precious to the Hellmouth?" Spike asked, getting closer to the fire.

"Not _you_," She replied coldly.

"Like bloody hell not me. I know you closed a different one too, and no doubt you lost others in the first closing," Spike said.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell _you_," She said.

"Why not? What happened to when we'd talk in my crypt? You didn't seem so cold then…or as tall," He said. Now he noticed how much she'd grown up since then.

"How can I trust you, what you are…and Buffy, what you did to her," Dawn accused.

"_Almost_ did…" Spike corrected, "and I'm not like that anymore…"

"Oh really, and I'm just supposed to trust you again?" Dawn asked, "I'm supposed to _forgive_ you now?"

"…no…" Spike answered. He knew there was no forgiving what he'd done, not ever. He decided to leave Dawn alone, she didn't need to put up with him. He stayed silent the whole way to the meat factory, while Illyria and Buffy discussed violence. Dawn simply glared at whatever was around, it made Spike wonder how it was going with her and Conner-boy.

The meat factory was completely silent. Spike was eerily reminded of the high school basement of Sunnydale. It pulled at him, he could feel the evil of the Hellmouth tempting his soul to darkness. Tormenting him. He tried to ignore it, but it was stronger than the Sunnydale Hellmouth. "The first," Spike uttered, "there was only one?"

"Yeah, we think so," Buffy said, not quite calming Spikes fear. "This way," Buffy said, turning a corner. Spike followed behind the group. They came to a huge room. It was dark and filled with lots of knives and butchery equipment. It all brought sour memories up for Spike. Buffy led them down some stairs to a small room. Spike recognized the Hellmouth seal. It gave him chills.

"This is the cause of violence?" Illyria asked. She put her hands toward it. "I feel its power."

"Yeah, this thing is dangerous," Dawn told her. She got closer to it. Spike could feel its power too. He could feel it long before they got in the building. He stopped paying attention for a few minutes to stare at a stain on the wall and get a hold of himself.

"Hey Spike, I think we have a problem," Buffy called to him. He looked back to see Dawn sitting cross-legged in midair.

"Bloody hell," He said, trying to figure out what happened.

"We think there's a force field around it," Buffy explained as she leaned on the force field. At first Spike thought she would fall, but as she leaned against it and Illyria pushed her hands against the other side, Spike saw a rough outline of an invisible box around the seal.

"Think this is a problem?" Spike asked.

"Duh," Dawn said from her perch. Buffy rolled her eyes and stood next to Spike.

"Do you feel it?" Buffy asked when Dawn couldn't hear.

"Yeah. It's strong," Spike told her, watching Illyria hit the force field as Dawn sat motionless atop it.

"Maybe that thing isn't _just_ a barrier," Buffy suggested. Maybe that's what Spike felt, the force field, not the seal or the Hellmouth.

"Who do you think put it there?" Spike asked.

"I don't know, but we should tell Angel," Buffy said. She went to help Dawn down as Spike went for Illyria.

"Come on, blue, field trip's over," Spike told her. But Illyria wouldn't stop attacking the barrier. "You can attack _me_ later, but we need to go now."

"Him," Illyria growled.

"Him who, love?" Spike played along.

"Cero. I smell him all over. This is _his_ power. This is _his_ doing," Illyria grumbled.

"Then fancy we tell Angel and we can kill Cero then," Spike said as he tried to hold onto Illyria from behind, trying to make her stop. Illyria didn't want to stop though and ended up hitting Spike hard in the face on accident. "Bloody hell," Spike mumbled, holding his hand to his nose where it broke again. Illyria stared at the blood that came. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make her stop and watch Spike.

Buffy and Dawn started to walk away and Spike followed. Illyria caught up. Now it was completely silent the whole way back. Illyria kept her gaze down and Spike tried to stop his bleeding. Buffy and Dawn felt somewhat awkward.

…

Illyria sat quietly as Angel heard the news about the barrier. Spike reported what Illyria said at the seal. Angel was angry and changed back to wanting to stop Cero. Illyria wished he would make up his mind. Angel barked orders as he does. Illyria was lost in thought and almost missed Spike leaving.

Illyria got up and followed Spike back to his apartment. As he left to the kitchen Illyria sat on the dingy couch. Someone had fixed the door she broke. She wondered if it was the Slayer's carpenter friend. She thought of crashing down the door. Finding Spike. All the blood.

Again, violence failed her. She couldn't break down the barrier and she had hurt Spike. She made him bleed…the way Cero made him bleed. But that's what Spike was there for. He was her pet. She was supposed to hit him. But it felt sickening to see his blood again.

"Something wrong, blue?" Spike asked, taking a seat next to her. He drank alcohol and waited for Illyria to answer.

"Your blood sickens me," She replied. Spike put a glass in her hand.

"Join the club and have a drink," Spike said, not unkindly.

"I have no internal organs," She reminded him.

"Of course not," Spike said, taking the glass back and drinking the putrid liquid.

"I will tear Cero apart, limb from limb," Illyria grunted.

"Why's that?" Spike asked, leaning back on the couch and slipping off his coat. Illyria lifted Spike's shirt to see his still healing scar. Tomorrow, there would be no evidence of Cero. Illyria traced it with one hand.

"He hurt you…and you're _mine_," Illyria said quietly. "He stole you, he stole from _me_. Only _I_ can hurt you." Spike drank more.

"What about today? You hit me good, but you been quiet ever since, not even botherin' Angel's plant. And you been followin' closer behind me since then too," Spike pointed you. Illyria didn't answer, she didn't know what to say. "Why _have _you been following me?" Spike asked.

"I will NOT allow Cero to hurt you again," Illyria admitted.

"That's sweet, blue, but I can take care of myself," Spike told her. Illyria looked at him unbelieving.

"Apparently not well enough," Illyria said. Spike had to admit, she had a good point. How many times had someone kidnapped him for torture? Too many. Spike eased his arm around Illyria, knowing she wouldn't kill him for it now.

"Good thing I have you then," Spike said as he started to pass out next to her. Illyria leaned back on the couch like Spike did and rested her head on his shoulder, watching him sleep. She wondered why Spike, a half-ling, a nothing, could make her change the way she was.

…

Sorry for not updating for a while, I've been busy. Pumping iron! [shows off awesome muscles] Not really [muscles diminish with a WHOOSH]

But anyway, please accept this sacrificial chapter as a new one (with actual Dawn-Conner scenes) will be posted soon. So stay tuned!

And always be kind and review! (get it, review, instead of rewind. I crack myself up) See the button [points below] push it, then write random thoughts….yes, even thoughts about breakfast items. Then clickey Submit. Good! Thanks for reading and putting up with me!


	13. Thirteen

Oh, my gosh. I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated! I've been so busy. But summer's coming and I'll be able to write more then :) Enjoy, there's a surprise at the end.

…

Seven o' clock. Dawn panicked some more. It was almost seven. Dawn wondered why she felt this way. Oh yeah, Conner. He was like freakin' double O Seven the way he pulled her back and kissed her. Sure, it was only on the cheek, but it counted. Didn't it?

Dawn wandered to where Buffy and Willow sat on the bed reading magazines together. "Hey um, I have a question," Dawn announced.

"Yeah, sweetie?" Willow asked. Neither girls looked up from their huge stack of girly magazines.

"When a boy kisses you, does on the cheek count?" She asked all in one breath.

Willow put her issue down and thought. "I think so," she said.

Buffy put her issue down too. "Definetly," She said. "Did Conner kiss you?" She asked in a near squeal, even thought Dawn knew she saw Conner do it. Willow looked excited as well. Both of them were acing like teenagers.

"Yeah," Dawn admitted and blushed at their giggles. "He did it double O seven style too, he took my arm and just went for it. And when he was leaving he said 'See you at seven,'" Dawn said in a deep Conner-like voice. That got Buffy and Willow wired as they giggled and asked questions.

"Here it says," Willow said, pulling out a magazine, "That if he makes the first move, you need to make a second move at the end of the next date." Buffy giggled at Dawn's scared expression. Willow laughed and put the issue down. Someone knocked on the door and Dawn rushed to get to it before Buffy could.

"Hi Dawn," Conner said smoothly, "Ready?"

"Hi, uhm," Dawn said. She looked back at the Slayer and the Witch on the bed and blushed at their giggling. "Yeah, let's go." Conner smiled and whisked her away. This time Conner drove her instead of walking and his car was amazing. Dawn wondered if it was his or Angels, then decided it didn't matter.

They saw some romantic movie rather than scifi or scary which Dawn had been worried about. After the years of demon guts and vampire dusk she cleaned up for Buffy, she didn't want to see more of it on a big screen. Dawn didn't cry, like the other girls in the theater, but she did have to keep herself from laughing the whole time. Conner looked like he might shed a few tears though.

"Are you gonna cry?" Dawn asked in a whisper.

"No," Conner choked out. Dawn could tell he was trying to hide the fact that the movie actually touched him, so Dawn left him alone. She preferred someone who hated scary movies instead of being in one.

After the movie, they talked about normal things like weather in L.A. and Italy. It made Dawn wonder if this was how normal people talked. Dawn still didn't know Conner's last name, but she guessed with him being Angel's son, it didn't matter.

Finally they reached Dawn's door. Dawn remembered what Willow said and wondered if she should take it seriously.

"See you tomorrow," Conner said. He leaned down to kiss Dawn on the cheek at the same time that Dawn decided to make the second move and kiss Conner's cheek. They met in the middle and their lips touched accidentally. Dawn blushed but didn't back away. Conner didn't back off either.

Conner's arms went around Dawn's back just as they heard Buffy open the door. They turned around and saw Buffy covering her mouth with her hand, her face turning red with the effort of not laughing. Dawn blushed bigger than she ever had before. She said bye and ran inside the room. Buffy was just about to close the door when Conner pushed on it, keeping it open. "Buffy, uh…"

"Yeah," She said, managing not to laugh.

"You don't hate me do you?" He asked, worried about being killed overnight.

"Of course not. You two are cute," Buffy said.

"So I'm not going to die tonight?" Conner asked, sweating a little.

"No! We Summers never kill a guy on the first date. Since that last one didn't 'count' as a date," Buffy said, laughing just a little. Conner forced a laugh and let Buffy close the door. No matter how nice she seemed, she still scared the hell out of him.

…

Illyria woke to the smell of bacon. Why would a vampire make food? She walked into the kitchen to find Spike making bacon on the stove half-naked.

"Isn't there a phrase…Never cook bacon with your shirt off," Illyria said from the doorway.

"Whoever said_ that_ wasn't a vampire," Spike said. He turned around and grinned. "Morning, Blue."

"This isn't morning, this is nightfall," Illyria told him.

Spike shrugged and went back to the bacon. "Same thing." Illyria didn't bother pointing out that they weren't the same thing at all, it hardly mattered to Spike. She sat at the table and watched Spike cook several pieces of bacon then dip them in peanut butter, and he actually _ate_ it. Spike noticed Illyria's gaze. "Want one?" He offered.

"No organs," Illyria stated in that non-sentence way that made Spike grin, Illyria knew he loved it.

"Have one anyway," he said, trying to hand it to her. "What could happen?" Illyria didn't bother to tell him all the terrible things that could happen; her words would have been wasted. So she took the peanut-butter-covered bacon and ate it carefully. "See? Not so bad, huh?" Spike asked.

Illyria had to admit, maybe humans were more clever than she thought. "It was…tasty," She said, uttering the only word that could describe the experience.

"Good. Want more?" Spike asked, grinning at Illyria. She got up to stand next to Spike and eat bacon dipped in peanut butter.

…

Dawn was sleeping in her room as Buffy and Willow gossiped on Buffy's bed. "So, you and Angel? What's going on there?" Willow asked.

"Nothing really," Buffy said sheepishly, "It's all business."

"Oh. Spike then?" Willow asked curiously.

"No," Buffy said firmly. She was done with Spike. "Besides, I think he's hooking up with Illyria, you know, blue scary girl."

"Oh. Then you're all alone here?" Willow asked, sounding concerned, which made Buffy uncomfortable.

"Well, I have Dawn," Buffy said, "And we won't be here very long anyway."

"I don't know, that barrier you told me about sounds like it'll take some serious work. Plus you have a Mexican gang vampire to take dawn now," Willow reminded her.

"I know," Buffy sighed, "And Angel won't let me track Cero down. He's been such a…poohead! I don't think he's even left his office since I've been here.

"Lack of fresh air can be bad for a vampire," Willow commented.

"Really?"

"Maybe. But he needs to get out anyway," Willow advised, "Next thing you know, he won't even be gelling up his hair."

"I was just there yesterday…I don't think he gelled," Buffy said.

There was a moment of silence before they both said, "Night club," and leapt up to get Angel.

They had no reason to be sneaky, especially with Harmony MIA, but they ran like ninjas anyway, for effect.

…

Spike watched Illyria walk among the sewers without being bothered a bit. The almighty god was apparently used to being around disgusting things. Spike wondered if that was what the vampires and humans were to her, waste in a sewer of a world.

"Did you love her?" Illyria asked blatantly and out of the blue, disrupting Spike's train of thought.

"Hmm?" Spike wondered which 'her' she was talking about.

"The Slayer. Did you love her?" Illyria asked again. She was focused on the path ahead of her, not looking at Spike as she asked.

A ting of ache went through Spike's undead heart, but the pain wasn't as great as it used to be in Sunnydale, watching her and loving her though he knew she'd never love him back. "Yeah. _Did _bein' the keyword there, blue," He told her.

"What about Harmony…and Drusilla, they were of your own species, did you not love them as well?" Illyria asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice, but that was it, a hint. Spike though about her question for minute before realizing something.

"Illyria," He said, stopping in front of her, "Who told you about them?"

"The Slayer, She answered, unperturbed, "She spoke to me while I waited for you." Spike twitched, still able to remember the healers pulling at his skin and re-growing it painfully before the meds could kick in. Illyria didn't notice as she scanned the sewer water below. As they began to walk again, Spike thought about her question seriously.

"That was a different kind of love," Spike told her.

"How so?" Illyria asked in her uninterested-but-I-want-to-know-anyway tone of hers.

"Vampires can't love each other the way humans do," Spike explained, "With us, when we love another vampire, it's all about lust and blood. Buffy has this…sort of quality that makes us undead non-people become…like humans and love like humans…"

"Buffy made you human…"Illyria echoed, staring intently at Spike.

"Sort of…" Spike said, "I'll always be a monster though…no matter how many fancy speeches she throws at me about how I've beat the monster…I _am _the monster…Always will be."

"…I've never seen you act like a monster…" Illyria said, defending Spike. He looked at her, maybe she was becoming more human, too.

…

Xander never knew how much a green singing demon could talk, but now he did. Lorne loved to talk, and Xander let him, he didn't have anything else to do here anyway. All Xander came here to do was see Dawnie, now she was on a date, or in bed. Xander looked up at Lorne's gasp.

"What?" He asked, wondering if there was any trouble. He followed Lorne's shocked gaze to the stairway.

"Cordy," They both said at the same time.

"Hey," She said shyly. Lorne rushed over to hug Cordelia before Xander could even get his words out. He had heard how much Cordy had given up, how she took on the painful visions, became half-demon. How she had come to be in a coma. He guess she was like Faith, looking great after a deadly coma that lasted several months. After exchanging words with Lorne she seemed to notice Xander standing there gawking at her.

"Xander…" She whispered, taking him in.

"Hey…Cordy…" He said just a quietly.

"Oh, do I feel tension," Lorne said, picking up on their vibes, and left hastily.

"Xander…you look…" Cordelia stared at Xander's eye patch, which he had forgotten about.

"You look great, Cordy," Xander offered truthfully, giving a small awkward smile.

"Thanks," She said blushing.

"Wow, since when does the great Cordelia blush?" Xander asked.

"Well, I've changed a lot since high school," Cordelia admitted.

"Yeah…so have I," Xander said.

"What…uh, happened?" Cordelia asked, meaning the eye patch.

"Oh, this?" Xander asked, poking a finger at his eye, Cordy nodded, "You know how they say not to run with scissors? Well, I was tempted."

Cordelia laughed. "You're such a dork…"

"Yeah, well when I was running with scissors you must have had a run in with some," Xander commented.

"Oh!" Cordy exclaimed. She fingered her short hair tenderly. "Yeah…I just needed change you know…because…"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Cordy," Xander said.

"Thanks," She said heartily. Xander smiled and nodded politely.

"So I heard you're working for Angel," Xander said.

"Yeah…I was his first employee, or second, I'm not sure," Cordelia said, fading into memories. Xander recognized that face, she must have lost someone and is now thinking about them.

"Sooo, I heard you guys have coffee here," Xander said, making new conversation.

Cordelia smiled, "Coffee?" She asked.

"Well, yeah. What evil corporation doesn't? I mean, even the Mayor of Sunnydale had coffee," Xander said.

Cordelia laughed. "I forgot how funny you can be."

Xander just smile. Cordelia lead him down a hallway. "So, ah. You think you and me…having faced so many more apocalypses…could ever…get back together?" Xander asked.

Cordelia smiled at him, searching his eager and stress-worn face. "I don't think so," She said sadly.

"Why not?" Xander asked, admitting defeat but wanting a reason.

"Well…Angel and I…" She trailed off. She didn't need to finish.

"Ah, man," Xander moaned, "Demons keep taking my girls."

Cordelia laughed, "What do you mean?" she asked.

"It's a long story…" Xander sighed.

…

I love Cordelia and Xander.

Thanks for reading! Please review :)


	14. Fourteen

Been so busy, but here's another chapter, hopefully the next will come soon :)

…

Bursting into Angel's office had been awkward in that he wasn't there. But Buffy and Willow snooped around and found an elevator that only went down one floor. There they found him, on the bed, without hair gel. Willow snapped out her cell phone.

"This looks like a job for Lorne," She told Buffy, and Buffy agreed. Angel hadn't noticed them yet, he was still asleep. As Willow explained their mission to Lorne, Buffy watched Angel sleeping. She forgot how sweet he looked relaxed. Just as Buffy reached to touch his hair, Willow spoke, "Lorne said he's coming," She said smiling, "He's excited."

Buffy smiled and backed away from Angel, standing in the doorway. "He should be, this is his CEO, if he's not happy, they're not happy," Buffy said, Willow nodded and stood beside her.

"Looks peaceful, doesn't he," Willow said. Buffy nodded. For a vampire, she was surprised he hadn't woken up yet.

"Can he really be evil?" Buffy asked.

"It's Angel, Buffy," Willow said.

"Yeah, but, remember how evil Spike was? He saved us all in the end, and now even he disapproves of this," Buffy said.

"I guess, but he wasn't that evil to begin with," Willow pointed out.

Buffy agreed to that. "But if someone so evil can turn good, can't someone good turn evil?"

"Buffy, Angel's not evil," Willow said glancing at him, "He made a wrong decision, but he's not Angelus."

"No, I guess not." Buffy waited for Angel to jump up and laugh maniacally, but he just slept.

…

"I want Cero to die," Illyria growled again strongly.

"Angel said to stay here, blue," Spike told her. He couldn't believe he was enforcing Angel's rules, but he didn't want Illyria going off by herself.

Illyria just glared at him. "He must pay."

"Blue, that's not the only time that's happened. It happens all the time," Spike said, trying to calm her down. They were at his place, Illyria was at the door, ready to pounce out and find Cero. Spike was next to her, trying to talk her out of it.

"Then all that have harmed out shall meet their ends under my power," Illyria boomed.

"It's best to stay here, love, where Angel's guys can find us."

"Why are you listening to him , anyway? You never have before," Illyria said.

"Yeah well, maybe I'm tired of getting' ambushed every time I set foot outdoors. I can hardly trust anyone now. Don't get me wrong, I hate Angel, but at least he won't lead me willingly into torture," Spike said, getting mad. But that seemed to soften Illyria. "At least not now, when there's a Hellmouth to take care of."

"Trust? Who _can _you trust?" Illyria asked.

"No one," Spike answered as he went to sit on the couch. Illyria watched him for a minute then sat beside him.

"You trusted Fred…" Illyria whispered. Spike didn't know Illyria could say something so quietly. "You told her secrets no one else knew…you asked her for help…"

"Yeah…I did," Spike admitted. Fred had probably been the only one he trusted.

"Do you trust me?" Illyria asked.

"Can I trust you not to leave?" Spike asked back.

Illyria hesitated. "Yes," She said softly.

"Then I trust you," Spike said.

"I trust you as well," Illyria said, returning the sentiment.

Spike gave a slanted, sad smile. "You're the only one, love."

Illyria questioned herself about her next action, but ignored the questioning. She leaned into Spike and let him hold her. She never knew fondling with a vampire could feel so good, what else was she missing out on?

…

"This is a bad idea," Angel said again.

"Is not. You just need to get out there, dance a little," Buffy told him. Angel thought about that and shuddered, he did not dance.

"I still don't like it," Angel muttered. His head felt weird, there was so much hair junk in it you could make a mile-wide hole in the o-zone. Buffy stood on his left, Willow on his right. Lorne had stayed in the building. There were in a very loud, human, all-night dance club/bar. And Angel didn't like it at all.

"Well, you're Angel, of course you don't like fun things," Willow remarked with a smile.

Angel smiled, or tried to. "Hey Wil, maybe you can try to find someone here too," Buffy said encouragingly.

"I don't know, maybe a demon bar, I think I'm gonna go for someone more…durable," Willow said, "What's it like to date a vampire?"

Angel wondered if they realized how loud they were as they talked around him. "Pretty cool," Buffy said, "And if you want durable, oh they _are_."

"What?" Angel had to ask.

"Don't worry, I don't mean you," Buffy said, "Plus there's no full moon to worry about." Willow nodded as if they were talking about snow tires. "And, if you break him, he's completely fine the next night." Willow perked up more at that. Angel wondered if Buffy meant Spike or some other poor vamp.

"So, Angel, you can play here, we're going to a demon bar," Buffy said, patting Angel's shoulder.

"Wait, what?" Angel said, but they were already gone. Now he was alone in the bar.

"I didn't know CEO's went partying," Someone remarked behind him.

"Nina," Angel said in surprise. He turned around, the werewolf looked good. "I didn't know you'd be out tonight.

"Yeah, you either," She said slyly. "Oh! This is Oz," She said, pulling the short, currently black-haired, werewolf out from behind her.

"Oz," Angel said. Nina didn't know they already knew each other. Angel just wondered if Nina knew Oz was a werewolf too.

"Angel," Oz replied shortly. He raised his fist and they knuckle-bumped.

"I didn't know you two knew each other," Nina said curiously.

"Yeah, old friends," Angel told her.

"From high school," Oz added.

"Really? That's awesome!" Nina said excitably.

"Yeah. Hey, have you heard anything from Willow…?" Oz asked.

"Yeah, she's in L.A. now," Angel said, then thought about Cero and everything going on, "Why don't you come by the office later, she, Buffy, Dawn, and Xander are there."

"Really?" Oz said. Angel could tell by Oz's face that he got Angel's meaning. If everyone from Sunnydale was in L.A. that meant something big was going on. "Maybe I'll swing by tonight."

"Good, I'll be there," Angel said.

"So what made you come out to party Angel?" The blonde werewolf asked. Angel sighed, he was hoping Nina wouldn't ask that.

…

Wahhhhh, it's so short! But this is all I have and it's been so long since I uploaded. Will definitely upload a better chapter soon, the best chapter ever of this fanfic! It will have all the bells and whistles and the twists that Joss himself is infamous for! I will try to make it readable anyway. R&R and you'll get a cookie =)

OHHHH Btw. I got my sister to write a love letter from Harmony to Riley and she said if enough people review it and say they want a reply letter from Riley she'd write one! I'm so excited, go review her story! .net/s/6016593/1/

3 thanks!


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